


The Sins of the Wolf

by SPowell



Series: The Heat of the Wolf [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, America, Angst, Begging, Bonding, Bonds, Heats, Humiliation, Intended Mates, Knotting, M/M, Magic, Mating Bites, Modern AU, Mpreg, Orgasm Denial, Pack Life, Possessive Behavior, Prostate Milking, Spanking, dub-con, marking with urine, omegas in heat, true-mates, voyeurism accidental and otherwise, wolf!verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 15:11:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 38
Words: 49,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3900865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/SPowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 3 of The Heat of the Wolf series. (You really need to read them first.)</p><p>The looming threat of starvation for their pack has sent the three mated couples to Crescent City to find the elusive Jude of Merlin's past.</p><p>Disclaimer: the characters of Merlin do not belong to me. They belong to BBC, Shine, and legend.</p><p>I now have some original m/m stories coming out. If you are interested in ordering, here is my website: http://rebeccajamesgayromance.wordpress.com<br/>It will be updated as more of my stories are released.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Crescent City

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I've finally bitten the bullet and come back for the promised part 3. Thanks to all of you who have commented and asked for this. I hope I don't disappoint.
> 
> This fic has always taken place in America, but I do think of our guys as having their accent from the show. How this would be explained, I'm not sure, so I've just avoided it. Perhaps pack members retain whatever accents they had from the origin of their pack.
> 
> If you've enjoyed this series, you might want to check out my River Wolfpack series--original m/m romance. You can find it on my website. http://rebeccajamesgayromance.wordpress.com

  
“I wish we hadn’t come,” Leon says, surveying the crowd of humans with distaste.

Will looks at him. “We won’t be here long—just until Arthur’s shift is over.”

“Not to this bar, although I do hate it; to Crescent City.” Leon leans back in his chair, looking rather delectable in a blue botton-down shirt and snug blue jeans. Will kind of wants to get him alone _right now._

“But you’re the one who really wanted to come with Arthur and Merlin. I was the one who wasn’t sure.” Will tries not to think of his babies at home without him. Actually, the children are split up, as Audrey and Clyde took the older ones with them to the Gibson pack with Sully's family. “Surely we’re going to find this Jude fellow soon…”

Leon rubs his eyes tiredly. “We’ve been looking for three weeks already. This is impossible! This city’s so big…it’s like a needle in a haystack trying to find him, and Merlin can’t even remember Jude's last name."

Will regards his mate, usually so even-tempered and positive. He puts a hand on his arm.

"We'll find him soon, Leon."

Leon uncovers his eyes and looks at Will. "Have you seen how tense Merlin is?”

Will nods. “Yeah, but that’s more because of Arthur than the fact that we haven’t been able to find Jude.”

It’s true; the Alpha is on hyper alert for anyone who comes near Merlin, making it impossible for Merlin to get much done. The alphas have had to take jobs in order to keep them fed and have a place to sleep—the three couples living in one small place. At the moment, Arthur is doing his shift as a bartender, but Will can see Arthur’s eyes are on Merlin, who’s making his way around the crowd, discreetly trying to get information. It’s a wonder Arthur hasn’t been fired yet for mixing the drinks wrong. Will says as much to Leon.

“Give it time—Arthur’s only been at this a week.”

Cenred walks up, and not for the first time, Will notices how the scowling alpha just doesn’t fit into these surroundings. It isn’t the way he looks—in fact, he’s definitely handsome in the V-neck T-shirt and 501’s. It’s more of how uncomfortable he looks to be where he is. He keeps sweeping his gaze everywhere, as though he expects one of the humans to do something odd. It's a mixture of trepidation and ire that stands out like a sore thumb.

“Nothing,” Cenred says, taking a seat next to Leon and finishing off Leon’s pint.

As for Will, he’s rather enjoying being in the human world. He’d always wanted to see it, and it hasn’t disappointed him. So much going on—so many interesting people.

“I’m going to the bar to talk to Mordy,” Will says, standing. Mordred sits on a stool playing with the condensation on his glass. When Will seats himself on the stool beside him, Mordred looks up, big blue eyes curious.

“You didn’t find out anything, did you?”

“No, and neither has Leon. Or Cenred.”

Mordred looks across the room to where Merlin stands laughing with a man in cowboy boots, and motions for Will to look. Will then glances at Arthur who, of course, has noticed.

“Arthur looks as though he’s going to crawl over the bar any minute and drag Merlin off. We’d better go over there.”

The two omegas stand and make their way between the tables. Merlin grins at them when they appear at his side.

“Guys, this is Jim. Jim, these are my friends Will and Mordred.”

“They from Austin, too?” Jim asks. He’s bearded and not bad looking, if you like boisterous Texans.

“Yeah."

"You guys sure don't sound like you're from around here."

"Er, well, none of us are, originally." Merlin clears his throat and changes the subject. "Guys, Jim was just telling me that he used to go to the same university where our friend Jude used to work.” They had, of course, already checked this university, but Jude no longer worked there—or else never had. They couldn’t find any information on him at all.

Jim nods at them. “I thought I remembered a man by your friend’s description.”

“Really?” Mordred lights up. Mordred has privately confided to Will that he’s very homesick, particularly for his pups.

Merlin looks excited, after having zero leads so far.

“Do you know what happened to him?” Will asks.

“Seems as though he got married,” Jim says. “He was one of them shirt-biters, if you know what I mean.”

“Gays can’t legally marry in Texas,” Mordred says.

“Yeah, which is why I think they were going somewhere else.”

“New Mexico?” Will shifts on his feet.

“Maybe.” Jim shrugs. “Seems the most likely to me, being the closest state where it's legal.”

Arthur suddenly appears, wrapping his arms around Merlin’s waist.

“Ready to go?”

Merlin turns and kisses him.

Jim looks so uncomfortable, Will wants to laugh. Obviously the Texan hadn’t known he'd been talking to another “shirt-biter.”

The three couples head out, filling in their alphas on what Jim said as soon as they’re outside.

“Looks like we’ll be heading to New Mexico, then,” Arthur says. “Couldn’t come soon enough for me.”

“Didn’t like your bartending job?” Merlin teases, squeezing Arthur’s hand.

“Didn’t like being tied up away from you,” Arthur growls.

“Doesn’t seem there’s any way around that,” Cenred says. “We can’t live without making money.”

“I’ve been working on that.” Leon wraps an arm around Will’s shoulders, and Will looks at him.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve recently come upon a city wolf who said there are wolf groups all over the states we can join. And I’m certain he said there are a few in New Mexico. It won't keep us from having to work, but it will save us from worrying about you three as much.”

“Groups?” Arthur raises a brow.

“As in city wolves who don’t want to be on their own but aren’t exactly a pack. They congregate together—it’s safer that way. I’ll go see him as soon as possible and find out where we can go.”

Will thinks it sounds like a good plan. As much as he’s enjoying being around humans, he would feel more comfortable living with other wolves.

 

“I think you were enjoying talking to that human a little too much tonight,” Arthur tells Merlin when they settle down to sleep. The place they’ve rented is too small for much privacy. Being the Alpha, Arthur and Merlin got the only bedroom. Mordred and Cenred chose to curl up in the large hall closet, and Leon and Will took the living area. Still, everyone can hear everything, and right at that moment, Merlin can hear Leon screwing Will into the floor. Although they are accustomed to having others privy to their sex life at times, as it's a natural part of pack life, somehow it all feels different in the human world.

“Oh, come on.” Merlin pulls Arthur closer. “You weren’t jealous of that horrible Texan, were you?”

“Everyone you give your attention to makes me jealous,” Arthur says, kissing along Merlin’s neck and pausing to suck at his mating bite. Merlin trembles in Arthur’s arms, his alpha’s touch making him very, very needy. He lifts one long leg to curl it around Arthur’s hip.

“No need, Arthur. You’re the only one I’ll ever want.” He pulls Arthur’s head up for a kiss, deep and warm, that soon has them frotting against one another. Merlin tries to be quiet, but it’s impossible; Arthur drives him mad with passion each and every time he’s close.

“You’re like a drug,” Merlin says into Arthur’s bare chest after they’ve both come all over each other.

“I hope not; drugs are negative,” Arthur strokes Merlin’s hair. “I only want to be good for you, Merlin. I only want your happiness.”

Merlin leans up to look Arthur in the face. It’s dark, but the moon shines through the small window. It’s almost completely full, and when that happens, the need to run will come over the group.

“Of course you make me happy, Arthur. I didn’t mean it like that…you’re just all-consuming.”

Arthur gazes at Merlin, eyes so deep a blue, they make Merlin think of the darkest waters. “Do you ever wish for your independence back?”

“What? No! Where is this coming from?”

Arthur shrugs. “I don’t know. Being around humans…seeing you around them…just makes me wonder.”

“Well, stop wondering this instant!” Merlin catches Arthur’s face between his hands and looks at him steadily. “I love you, Arthur Pendragon. And I want to be with you, only you. Not humans. Not anyone else. Do you understand?”

Arthur nods, and smiles, but Merlin isn’t content until he kisses that odd look out of his mate’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this to the end! I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
>  
> 
> See [here](http://rebeccajamesgayromance.wordpress.com) for my original gay romance stories.


	2. A Hunting Expedition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The alphas go to find food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So good to see so many of you again! <3

The group hops a ride with a truck headed northwest, the six of them riding in the open bed. After the truck crosses the Texas border into New Mexico, the three couples get out and travel for a while in their wolf form, staying far away from ranches with tempting sheep and cattle as they travel northward into the forest land.

When the moon is at its fullest, the instinctual need to run builds within the six wolves and they set off, their bodies sleek and fit, muscles straining. The following night, they sleep heavily.

Hunger hits hard. Other than a few rabbits, they’ve had nothing to eat in days. Finally Arthur decides there’s nothing for it but to go on a hunting expedition rather than just try to catch something as they travel. They make camp in the forest and Arthur orders the omegas to stay there while the alphas go look for food.

“Why the hell do we have to wait here? We’re not helpless.” Will kicks at a rock. They’ve built a nice fire, and Merlin longs for some meat to roast over it.

“What if someone at those ranches we saw sees the smoke?” Mordred asks.

“They’ll just think some humans are out here camping.” Merlin leans his head on Mordred’s shoulder. “And to answer your question, Will, I have a feeling our mates are afraid they’re going to have to raid a ranch.”

“What? That’s dangerous!”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Mordred says, “which is why they don’t want us along.”

Will kicks Mordred in the shin, none too gently.

“Ouch!” Mordred shoves Will onto his side.

“All right, all right, stop!” Merlin pulls Will back to a seated position. They’ve all been in close proximity for too long, and tempers are short. “Hopefully our alphas will find a nice deer or something. We don’t need to squabble.”

Will stretches out and puts his head in Merlin’s lap, and Mordred leans against the trunk of the Gambel oak. A pair of western screech-owls duet over their heads, an eerie sound.

“It’s spooky out here.”

“Big baby,” Mordred whispers, and Will growls.

Merlin sighs. “You two are both babies.” The fire crackles, and Merlin settles his head again on Mordred's shoulder.

He’s almost drifted off to sleep when far off in the distance there’s the sound of a gunshot. Merlin stiffens.

“Gods!”

Mordred and Will look at Merlin, eyes wide.

“You don’t think…” Mordred gets to his knees, body tense. They all listen. Several more shots.

Merlin jumps to his feet, his friends following. Merlin’s heart’s beating so hard, he feels dizzy. Will begins wringing his hands, and the three omegas automatically step toward one another, bodies touching.

“It came from that direction.” Mordred points into the dense trees.

“If it’s nothing, Arthur will kill us for leaving the campsite.” Merlin gnaws on his bottom lip.

“What if it’s something? What if they’ve been shot?”

“They’re not dead, or we wouldn’t be standing here talking,” Merlin reasons, and his friends nod, relaxing just a little.

“But they could be injured,” Will says after a moment. “What would happen if a human got hold of a werewolf?”

Merlin isn’t sure. Most humans don’t believe in weres. If they found one, they’d probably take it for scientific testing. His stomach twists with anxiety, but he doesn't want to upset his friends.

“Oh—they wouldn’t want one. They’d let it go.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Merlin,” Will says.

“Yeah, plus your ears go red when you lie.” Mordred stares pointedly at Merlin’s ears.

“They do not!” Merlin reaches up to cover them.

“Oh, gods…I’m starting to feel…” Mordred suddenly topples back to the ground.

“Mordred?” Both Merlin and Will scramble to sit on each side of their friend.

“I think Cenred’s been shot!” Mordred clasps his side. “It hurts!”

Will takes Mordred’s hand and squeezes it. “It’s going to be okay.”

Mordred closes his eyes.

“Mordred!”

Mordred opens them again. “You don’t have to shout, I’m right here.”

“You scared me! Don’t close your eyes!” Will looks to Merlin.

“I’ll go. You stay with him.” Merlin climbs to his feet again.

“Fuck, no! The Alpha will kill me if I let you go!”

“It’s not like you can stop me,” Merlin says. “I’ll shift…”

“No!” both Will and Mordred fairly shout.

“If you’re a wolf, you might get shot,” Will says. “Just go into the forest a ways and sniff around. Maybe you can pick up their scent.”

Merlin sighs and turns around, heading into the dense woods. The smell of pine is thick, and it makes Merlin sneeze. It’s warm, and the still-large moon lights his way. He’d feel better as a wolf—it’s always easier to walk in the forest on four paws. His clothes are those he used to wear at the ranch that can be ripped off easily for shifting purposes, his shoes regular trainers. He sniffs the air but only gets another whiff of pine and sneezes again.

Merlin tries closing his eyes and feeling across the bond for Arthur, and it scares him when he can’t feel anything at all. What does that mean? This happens sometimes when Arthur blocks the bond for some reason, but why would he do that? Unless Arthur is unconscious… Merlin hurries his steps.

After a time, Merlin comes to a clearing and stands looking out over an expanse of land. In the distance a few ranches dot the plains, and he can see groups of sheep within the fenced pastures. He raises his head and sniffs again on the breeze. Nothing.

He’s unsure of what to do. He can turn and go back, having learned nothing about the whereabouts of the alphas, or he can move forward and see what he can find out. The shots definitely came from this direction, and it could be that Arthur, Leon, and Cenred are just out of sight. It’s entirely possible that, unable to find game, they resorted to steeling a sheep from one of these ranches, and a rancher caught them at it. Merlin’s heart accelerates, and he resolutely moves forward.

 


	3. Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin searches for the alphas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thrilled to see so many of you returning for part 3. I'll be gone part of the day tomorrow, so here's another chapter.
> 
> Warning for a little blood.

The more Merlin is alone, the harder it is for him to go on. He’s so used to the comfort of either his mate or his fellow omegas, it seems odd to be walking by himself. But he has to find the alphas, _his_ alpha. He still can’t feel Arthur through the bond, and that worries him more than anything else. It would be so much easier to shift and run, but Will had a point when he said Merlin might be shot if he’s seen as a wolf. It would be much better to be in his human form if spotted.

The wind picks up, and dark clouds scuttle over the moon.

“Hey! Who’re you?” The voice out of the dark night startles Merlin so badly, he jumps. He turns to find a man dressed in blue jeans, T-shirt, boots, and a cowboy hat, with a rifle in his hand. The rifle is pointed at Merlin.

Merlin raises his hands, palms out.

“Hi, er…my name is Merlin Pendragon and I’m, um…that is, my friends and I are camping a ways away, and we heard shots fired. I just thought I’d come see if anything’s amiss.”

“Camping? Out where? This’s my land.”

“Sorry—um, we’re quite a ways back in the woods.” Merlin points vaguely behind him into the dark recesses of forest. “Actually, our truck broke down and in the morning we plan to walk to the nearest station for parts.” He tries to smile. He knows there’s an interstate not too far away and hopes his story makes sense to the man. It seems to, for the rancher lowers his gun.

“You and your friends equipped to stay out in the woods all night?”

“Yeah, sure. We’ve always got gear in the truck.” Something occurs to Merlin. “Actually, we’d been…tracking some wolves. We’re members of a conservationist group that are trying to relocate the packs in the area to a place where there are fewer ranches.”

“Damned wolves,” the man scowls, “always after my cattle and sheep. Just caught three of them trying to take down one of my best steers.”

Merlin’s heart picks up, pounding painfully in his chest. His palms start to sweat.

“You did?”

“Yep. Shot one of ‘em, but he got away with the others. Probably won’t get too far before dying, though. Lotta blood. I’ll have to take a look in the morning.”

“Do you know which way they went? If we can find them, my friends and I might be able to locate the pack. Get the whole bunch of them out of here.”

The man scratches his head. “That’d be terrific. Last I saw ‘em, they ran off that way into the scrub.” He points at the mess of vegetation to their far right. “The clouds had covered the moon, and I couldn’t see to follow ‘em.”

“Okay, thanks.” Merlin heads in that direction.

“You going alone?” The man calls. “Without even a gun?”

“I’ll just look for tracks now,” Merlin calls over his shoulder. “Then go back to my friends, and we’ll head out early with our cages. We’ll get the truck fixed and pick the wolves up--come back for the rest of the pack later.”

The man frowns. “Well, all right. I guess you know what you’re doing. But those wolves are vicious…they’ll tear your head off.”

“I’ll be all right.” Merlin says with a grin that hopefully conveys friendly competence. “I’ve done this plenty of times.” The smile drops from his face when the rancher finally turns and trudges back toward his fence line, muttering about crazy conservationists.

Merlin hurries in the direction the rancher had indicated, plunging into the dense brush, sniffing the air for a scent of the alphas. When he latches onto it, he moves faster and eventually gets a feeling for Arthur through the bond. He senses strong worry and fear.

“Arthur!” Merlin calls as loudly as he can without it carrying back to the ranch. Brambles tug at his jeans, and some kind of ground bird flies out of a jumble of bushes, startling Merlin into falling onto his bum.

“Merlin!”

Arthur steps out from behind a thicket of trees a few yards away, and Merlin jumps up and rushes toward him, only taking his next breath when Arthur is in his arms.

“Are you okay?” Merlin asks into Arthur’s neck as he soaks in the familiar smell of him.

“Yeah, but Cenred’s wounded. He’s been shot.” Arthur’s arms tighten around Merlin for a moment before letting go.

“I know.” Merlin tells him about his encounter with the rancher.

“That was smart of you.” Arthur squeezes Merlin's hand and leads him a few yards into the thicket to where Leon hunkers over Cenred, who lies pale and sweating on the ground.

“Is he all right?” 

“He’s lost a lot of blood,” Leon says needlessly, as there’s blood everywhere. “Where’re Will and Mordred?”

“I left them in the woods. Mordred’s doubled over in pain due to Cenred’s wound. I followed your scent as best I could. What are we going to do?”

Arthur kneels beside Cenred and digs his fingers inside the small wound in Cenred's side. Cenred shouts out in pain and then growls,  but Arthur keeps probing until seconds later, he holds up the bullet between sticky red fingers.

“His wound should heal quickly now," Arthur says before tossing the piece of metal into the brush. "Wish I had some water to clean it out with, though.”

“Can you walk?” Leon asks Cenred, who nods stoically and grimaces when Leon and Arthur help him to his feet.

It takes a long while for the four men trudge through the woods. They follow the scent of wood smoke back to the camp, Cenred supported between Arthur and Leon.

“Why couldn’t I feel your bond before?” Merlin asks Arthur as they walk. “That really scared me.”

“When Cenred was shot, I was terrified—I didn’t know how much damage the bullet did. We ran for the brush, and I blocked you for a while. I didn’t want you to know how worried I was.”

“Arthur, I heard the shots. Didn’t you think I’d be scared out of my wits?”

Arthur lifts one side of his mouth, showing his teeth in a wince. “I guess it was a bad idea.”

Merlin shakes his head and takes Arthur’s free hand. Cenred’s walking a little easier now, his wound already closing up, but Merlin can see that he’s weak.

When they come out of the trees into the small clearing where they’d built the fire, they find it burning low, and no sign of Will and Mordred.

“Where are they?” Leon asks.

“I don’t know; they were here when I left.” Merlin turns all the way around in a circle.

“Will!” Leon shouts. “Mordred!”

There’s only quiet.

“What the fuck?” Cenred pulls away from Leon’s grip and leans against a tree, eyes pinned to the dark forest around them.

“Maybe they went for water?” Merlin suggests. “There’s a stream not far from here, I think.”

Leon runs his hand through his ginger curls. “There’s no sign of a struggle or anything. You must be right.”

“Well, let’s don’t separate,” Arthur says, kicking some dirt over the fire. “We’ll go find them and camp by the stream.”

They head deeper into the woods.

 

 


	4. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mordred and Will can't find the stream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that odd switch in tense in part one.
> 
> Yesterday was a day of travel, so I never got a post up.
> 
> <3 to you all!

 

“I thought you said the creek was this way.” Mordred looks around at the dark forest. The pain in his side has subsided, and he’s relieved to know that his mate’s doing better.

“It is,” Will says. “It must be just a little farther up.”

“We’ve been walking for half an hour! I told you it was a bad idea to go for water before Merlin and the alphas returned.”

“Would you quit complaining? It’s all you do. I don’t know how Cenred stands your constant whining.”

Mordred growls. “Well the same goes here for Leon and your ridiculous impulses. Now you’ve gotten us lost!” He shakes his head. “I think the creek is this way.” Mordred points to the right.

“No! That’ll lead us to the ranches. Do you want to be shot?”

Mordred stops.

“Why don’t you just admit you don’t know where the hell we are?”

“Because I do know where we are!” Will crosses his arms over his chest. In reality, he isn’t quite so sure anymore, but he isn’t going to tell know-it-all Mordred that.

“Well, I’m not wasting any more of my time. I’m going this way.” Mordred heads to the right.

“We can’t split up!” Will calls, but Mordred keeps on walking. “Mordred!” When the darkness swallows Mordred, Will sighs and takes off after him.

***

“Well, here’s the stream, so where are they?” Arthur paces up and down the bank. He can’t believe that after getting the alphas through the altercation at the ranch, he’s now lost two omegas. And they still don’t have anything to eat! As pack leader, his blood pumps fiercely in his veins with the need to find the two pack members and bring them back to the fold. An alien forest is no place for omegas to be by themselves at night.

“Where the fuck are they?” Arthur shouts, infuriated. He looks to his mate, very glad that Merlin is with him and not bumbling about in the forest with Will and Mordred. Merlin’s biting at his bottom lip, and this sure sign of his mate’s agitation squeezes at Arthur’s heart. He reaches over and takes Merlin’s hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it, and they both immediately calm at the skin contact. “Don’t worry, we’ll find them.”

Merlin gives Arthur a wobbly smile and a short nod.

Cenred and Leon keep sniffing the air, but the breeze has died down and there’s no trace of Mordred and Will.

“I’ll bet you this was Will’s idea,” Leon growls. “When I find him, he is going to be in for it.” Arthur can only hope Leon waits for some privacy before giving Will one of his “punishments.”

Arthur sighs. “There’s no use wandering…we go away from the stream, and we’re sure to miss them. Leon, build a fire. I’m going to catch a couple of squirrels or rabbits. Maybe the smell of roasting meat will bring Will and Mordred to us.”

Cenred lets out a small whine as he lowers himself to the ground, obviously weak from loss of blood. Leon and Merlin begin collecting wood for the fire as Arthur strips off his clothes, shifts, and sets off into the woods.

 ***

“So, where’s the stream, smarty pants?” Will says fifteen minutes later when they’ve walked through ever-darkening forest without any luck. The moon has shifted in the sky, dark clouds intermittently covering it and making it all the more difficult for the two omega wolves to see. Their eyes are sharp, but they are unused to being in such circumstances.

“You’ve probably got us so turned around, I made a mistake.” Mordred stops to scan the area. Bug-song and other night noises fill the night with the occasional call from an owl above.

“Oh, of course it’s my fault you’re leading us deeper into the forest!” Will tries to tamp down his rising anxiety. Being in the woods unaccompanied by an alpha or beta is bad enough, but this is very unfamiliar territory—who knows what’s out there? Added to that, he can feel high anxiety and definite anger through his bond with Leon. No question about it; he’s in for it when Leon finds him.

Something scurries through the brush and both Will and Mordred turn toward it at the same time. Omegas don’t normally do the hunting, but they’re perfectly capable; and being as hungry as they are, instinct takes over. Shifting, both wolves take off after the prey, which unwittingly leads them farther away from the others.

***

Cenred’s eyes are closed, but he’s very alert. He can feel Mordred’s heart racing through their bond, and it’s taking him a moment to figure out if it’s fear or excitement causing it.

“Cen?” Leon’s voice cuts through Cenred’s concentration, and Cenred opens his eyes. Leon sits leaning forward, a bite of roasted meat dangling from his fingers. Indeed, the delicious smell of it pervades the area--Cenred had been too lost in the bond to notice. He grunts and takes the warm, dripping morsel from Leon’s fingers and pops it into his mouth. It’s delicious, but difficult to enjoy when Cenred knows his mate is somewhere out in the dark forest hungry and without protection. It seems as though Leon feels the same, from the solemn look on his face and the way he picks at his meat.

The Alpha appears distracted where he sits on the other side of the fire, and the Vixen worried. Merlin’s long fingers fidget with a blade of grass, bending it this way and that.

“Merlin, eat,” the Alpha barks, and Merlin picks up a piece of meat, but Cenred can see how difficult it is for him to swallow it.

“We’ll find them,” Arthur says more kindly, and Merlin leans back against him, tucking his face into Arthur’s neck. The simple gesture of trust and love makes Cenred’s heart hurt for his mate.

 _Mordred, where are you?_ he calls across the bond, but gets only a race of adrenaline that could mean anything in return.

Cenred sighs and closes his eyes again.

 


	5. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin bide their time until the two lost omegas return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a rush--hope there aren't a lot of errors.

“I can’t just sit here, Arthur, with my mate out there somewhere.” Leon throws the rabbit bone he’s been gnawing on into the fire and stands up. Arthur tenses, and Merlin knows he’s warring with himself—he’s given the order for them to stay put and together, but he also understands Leon’s need to find his mate. As they watch, Leon throws his head back and lets out a long, mournful howl from deep in his belly. Merlin shivers and scoots closer to Arthur, who puts his arm around him.

They all sit listening for a few moments until far in the distance there’s an answering howl.

“Why didn’t we think of that before?” Cenred asks.

“I thought of it,” Arthur says. “There’s a problem of drawing hunters our way. You, most of all, know that these ranchers around here mean business.”

“At least Will and Mordred know what direction to go in now,” Merlin says, leaning his head on Arthur’s chest. “They’ll head this way.”

Leon looks as though he wants to howl again, but he contents himself with just that one and sits back down beside the fire.

“The smell of the meat will help, too,” Merlin says, and Leon gives him a grateful smile. Arthur stretches out, and Merlin settles into his arms, staring up into the canopy above. Arthur sniffs Merlin’s neck, probably detecting the vague smell of human on him from his close proximity to the rancher earlier. When Arthur begins licking Merlin’s skin with long strokes of his tongue, Merlin fights hard to hold in the moans of pleasure that want to break forth.

The fire dies down, and Merlin hears both Leon and Cenred settle on the other side of it. Arthur’s hand moves down Merlin’s chest to cup his groin beneath the denims, palm pressing insistently as Arthur continues to lick and nibble, now focusing solely on Merlin’s mating bite. Merlin trembles in Arthur’s arms, strong sensation washing over him. He grips Arthur’s hard biceps in his hands, hanging on for dear life as Arthur releases his canines and reopens the bite, sucking up blood, re-staking his claim. Merlin bucks up into Arthur’s hand, delirious with desire for his mate.

“A-Arthur—“ he stutters on a breath, and Arthur grunts, moving his hips until his impressive erection presses against Merlin’s leg, bringing every nerve ending in Merlin’s body alive with need. Merlin could come from the attention to his mating bite alone, and Arthur seems determined for him to do just that. Merlin can feel the tip of Arthur’s tongue circling his skin, tickling the fresh wound, and the action seems to be in direct connection with Merlin’s cock, which jerks and dribbles, wetting the front of his pants. His mating bite will be visible in the morning—Merlin will have to make certain his collar covers it. When fully healed, the wolves’ mating bites are invisible to the eye-- mates detect them by scent alone; but until Merlin’s rejuvenates, it will look as though he were attacked by an animal—which, in a way, he was.

Arthur continues sucking and licking, hand pressing firmly, until Merlin spirals upward and his hips jerk, a garbled cry bursting from his lips. Arthur immediately silences him with a deep kiss, and Merlin can taste his own blood on Arthur’s tongue. Satiated and elastic from his release, Merlin brings long legs around Arthur’s waist, smiling into the kiss when he feels Arthur’s still-huge erection digging into Merlin’s belly. Wanting to give at least as good as he got, Merlin squirms against his mate until Arthur’s stiff cock pokes out well above the waistband of his denims. Licking his thumb, Merlin brushes it over the tip once, twice, before pushing slightly into the slit, making Arthur hump at him like a—well, _wolf_ in rut. A low, completely sexy growl uttered into Merlin’s open mouth precedes a rush of sperm spilling beneath where Merlin’s shirt has pushed up around his ribs; and Arthur lies breathing hard, moving to rest his head on Merlin’s shoulder as Merlin strokes his soft, blond hair.

As their heartbeats slow and bodies cool of sweat, Merlin thinks he hears something behind the buzz of contentment in his brain. When Arthur stiffens in his arms, he knows he really did. They both rise to their elbows and listen.

A chuff from Cenred as he struggles to get up and a subsequent whine from Leon, are all the warning Merlin gets before two figures come crashing through the trees, and suddenly Will and Mordred stand before them, looking worn out and extremely relieved to be back within the fold.

“Holy shit, Will!” Leon growls even as he envelopes his omega in a warm, if a bit rough, embrace, “Where the fuck did you disappear to?”

Mordred buries himself in Cenred’s arms, knocking the alpha back onto the ground.

“We went to get water but got a little turned around,” Will says.

“Will got us lost!” Mordred says, Cenred’s mouth working over his neck. “Oh…fuck…” he grasps Cenred’s shoulders, fingers digging into the flesh.

“I believe it was you who got us lost, Mordy,” Will says, squeezing Leon’s hand. He can tell by the look on his alpha’s face that he’s going to be in for it as soon as they have some privacy. Hopefully that won’t be any time soon.

“Welcome back!” Merlin opens his arms and embraces Will. “We were so worried.” Will sniffs him.

“Not too worried to fuck, I take it,” he teases Merlin, and Merlin turns red.

“We had to get our minds off it somehow.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Let’s get to sleep, everyone,” Arthur barks. “We need to be away from these ranches at dawn.”

The three couples settle down together, and Merlin falls asleep listening to the amorous couplings of his friends, his own hand held tightly by Arthur’s and his head resting on Arthur’s chest, the strong heartbeat of his alpha beneath Merlin’s ear.


	6. Rogue Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After all that's gone wrong, Arthur is eager to get to the safety of the city wolf den.

The group travels for days as wolves, stopping only to eat, sleep, and, when they reach a river, bathe and wash their clothes. Just outside of Albuquerque, they make camp for what they hope to be their final night in the forest, as the city wolf den is said to be just on the other side of the city.

Mordred and Cenred have retreated into the woods for some time alone, and Merlin can hear Leon and Will talking in the darkness several feet away from where Merlin and Arthur lie.

“We don’t have too much farther to go,” Leon says.

“Thank fuck for that.” Will’s tone is one of relief. “I don’t want to see another black bear—ever!”

The day before, after they’d accidentally happened upon a black bear's cubs in a thicket, the angry mother had chased the wolves until they’d finally turned on it and fought. They were all more than a little sore and still licking their almost-healed wounds.

“What’s the matter?” Merlin asks Arthur when he turns to see his mate looking pensively up into the trees, one arm tucked underneath his head. Merlin trails a finger through the bit of blond hair in Arthur's arm pit, elbow bent and head propped on his hand.

Arthur doesn’t answer for a moment, as though unsure he wants to share his thoughts.

“Hey,” Merlin says, tugging at the hair. He leans in and places a careful kiss just above a fading bruise on Arthur’s ribcage. Arthur smiles.

“I’m just…I don’t know—frustrated, I suppose," Arthur doesn't take his eyes from the sky. "Being out here—away from the rest of the pack. I don’t know what’s going on with them.”

“They’re in good hands with Gwaine,” Merlin says.

“I know. But it’s hard to let go of the reins. Not only that, but…” he waves his free hand around. “All this. The ranchers, and Mordred and Will getting lost…and the stupid bear! I don’t feel in control.”

Guilt, heavy and sour, weighs on Merlin’s stomach. He swallows. “I’m sorry I got us into this.”

Arthur looks down at him. “You didn’t get us into anything, Merlin.” He softly brushes his fingers down Merlin’s cheek. “You’re going to save us.”

Merlin tries to smile.

***

 

“Are you all right?” Arthur asks, placing a hand on his mate’s shoulder. They’d been running for miles, and Merlin had suddenly shifted, instigating a rest.

“Yeah. Tired,” Merlin says, sitting down. “And…”

Arthur sniffs the air. “Your heat’s coming on.”

“Soon, yeah.” The slow burn is starting to build inside of Merlin, and he knows it won't be long until all he’ll want to do is present to Arthur. That will slow them up considerably.

A howl in the distance followed quickly by another brings all six heads up. They’d been hearing them intermittently since daylight, and it made them wary.

“We need to hurry,” Arthur says. “I don’t want to tangle with any rogue packs out here. We’ve managed to dodge them so far, but we may be running out of luck. If Merlin’s going into heat, their alphas are sure to scent it, and if I have to kill one of them, we’ll have a full-blown fight on our hands.”

Mordred and Will had both had their heats not too long before the group left Crescent City. Back at the ranch, the omegas’ heats often fell together; but whether from stress or something else, Merlin’s failed to do so this time.

“Is your on-coming heat all that’s bothering you?” Arthur asks, cupping Merlin's ear affectionately before tugging him to his feet. “You look pale.”

“Headache,” Merlin says, rubbing his eyes. He props his head on Arthur’s shoulder.

“How much farther do you think, Leon?” Arthur looks at the other alpha, hand resting on the back of Merlin’s neck.

“Seven miles, maybe.”

“Let’s get going then.”

Another wolf calls, closer this time, and Arthur signals it's time to leave.

Mordred winces as he gets up from the ground.

“My leg…” he says, rubbing at his calf. “I strained it fighting the bear, and now it feels like it’s on fire. Let me just rest a minute more.”

“We don’t have a minute!” Arthur barks, and Cenred growls at him. Arthur growls back, canines showing and blue eyes sparkling in the dusk. Cenred backs down, but remains rigid as he goes to stand protectively beside his mate.The howls of the rogue wolves have gotten steadily louder and more frequent, and the hairs on the back of Merlin’s neck stand up. He watches the line between Arthur’s brows deepen, and knows he’s concerned for all of them. Depending on the number of other wolves, they may not be able to defend themselves if it comes to that.

They start forward, walking at a brisk pace. The howls stop, and Merlin thinks the ensuing silence is even more unnerving.

“The edge of the forest is just up ahead—I can see it.” Arthur points.

Indeed, it does appear brighter in that direction, and if he concentrates, Merlin thinks he can hear the sound of car horns and other traffic noises.

A growl from the right brings the group to a sudden stand-still. They shift to wolf form, and the hackles on Arthur’s back rise as he bares his teeth and growls fiercely, putting himself slightly in front of his pack.

The others lift their lips and snarl as a large, grey, male alpha steps out from behind some trees, ears pointed forward, and eyes focused dominantly as it gnashes its sharp teeth. It pauses to sniff the air and its eyes fall on Merlin, who can feel the oestrum begin to leak down his flanks.

His heat has been triggered.

Arthur crouches, tail cocked, fangs bared, and eyes threatening before lunging into a snap attack, sending the strange wolf reeling back a few steps in surprised trepidation. Merlin growls low in his throat, body tense. _It’s just one wolf,_ he tells himself. _We can take him._

Then three, four, five shadows appear from out from behind the trees, and Merlin’s heart sinks.


	7. Asserting Dominance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur takes control.

Arthur and the attacking alpha circle one another, heads low, vicious snarls rumbling up from their bellies as the other wolves from the rogue pack watch warily. In the seconds before Leon and Cenred insert themselves between the omegas and the other pack with hackles raised and sharp teeth bared, Merlin notes that four of the rogues are betas. The fifth is a dark brown alpha, a bit smaller than the one wrangling with Arthur. From where he’s been pushed behind Cenred and Leon, Merlin can barely see Arthur and the grey wolf, only hear the sound of powerful jaws snapping among the snarling and growling. Will and Mordred push against Merlin from each side, huddling together, bellies close to the ground and tails tucked.

Merlin’s heart rate climbs as sounds of the battle continue. He wants to move forward and help to incapacitate the grey wolf, but he knows that to do so while in heat would be a grievous mistake--better to remain down-wind of the entire pack. An omega in heat can quickly cause mayhem within a group of alphas, even those from the same pack. Alphas have been known to kill their own family members when in the throes of rut. Merlin suspects that this rogue pack is short on omegas—perhaps the six wolves present are even the grand total of the pack—and in that case, they would do anything to obtain an omega in order to multiply and increase their chance of survival.

Not long ago, the Pendragon pack had found themselves in similar straits, although the pack was still quite large; but Arthur would never have allowed things to get as bad as this—half a dozen wolves roaming alone in the forest, attacking other wolves for their omega-mates. Merlin knows well that not all pack leaders are as wise and caring as Arthur. Declan, the selfish, mean-spirited leader of the Freemont pack was a testimony to that, as was Arthur’s own father, Uther Pendragon, although Uther did keep his pack safe and bountiful.

A particularly vicious growl followed by a whimper and silence, and Merlin pokes his head between Leon’s legs to see that Arthur has pinned the grey wolf, a stream of red flowing from its throat to soak into the ground. Arthur lets go of his adversary’s neck and bares bloody teeth at the rogue pack, which splay their legs and pin their ears back in submission. Merlin’s heat rages at the sight of his dominant alpha, and he lets out a whine that immediately brings Arthur to Merlin’s quivering flanks to mount him. As Merlin is pounded with the blessed sensation of Arthur’s huge alpha cock taking possession of him, he is peripherally aware that the others have shifted. The strange wolves look on with a mixture of fear and envy as Arthur ruts Merlin in a hard frenzy of lust, victory, and the innate need to re-claim his mate.

By the time Arthur knots, Merlin has come three times and breathlessly comes a fourth time as Arthur’s knot presses into Merlin’s swollen prostate. Arthur has latched onto the white patch on Merlin’s black fur covering his mating bite and shakes Merlin by it, chuffing through his teeth and sending ripples of desire through Merlin’s body. When Arthur’s knot breaks, the climax is powerful, sending both wolves into a quivering mass of quaking limbs on the ground, where they shift into human form.

“What shall we do with these, Alpha?” Cenred asks, his eyes never leaving the rogue wolves. Will and Mordred come forward from where they’ve been standing a few feet away to help Merlin up, but Arthur growls, still smarting from having his mate threatened by another alpha. The two omegas back away, and Arthur stands and jerks the last remaining splatters of his seed from his cock, hitting Merlin squarely in the chest, then pees on him for good measure.

Usually Merlin is indignant at this particular display of ownership, but now, after the fear of being taken from his alpha and the subsequent desperate rut, he wallows in the hot piss splashing over his heaving chest. He looks at Arthur, in man form now but with the trickles of blood still coming from the corner of his mouth, his skin slick with sweat and dirt and the rays of the sun in his white-blond hair, and is extremely proud to be the Vixen to this powerful Alpha. He gives Arthur a beatific smile that lights up Arthur’s eyes for a moment.

Arthur turns and pushes between Cenred and Leon to stand before the rogue pack.

“I am Arthur, Alpha of pack Pendragon to the east. Do you wish to fight me?” He directs his question to the brown alpha who has shifted into a man of medium height with light brown hair. He quickly shakes his head.

“I am Balfour. We are a miscellaneous group, each with our own story to tell. We’ve congregated for safety, with Salinger as our lead,” he gestures to the dead wolf on the ground, “but we hold no real loyalty to him. We would be happy to travel with you or to leave your presence, as you wish.”

“This is my omega,” Arthur says a bit needlessly, Merlin thinks, as Merlin is currently covered with Arthur’s spunk and piss and they all just witnessed the powerful rut. “No one touches him. He is my true-mate and Vixen of pack Pendragon, and the utmost respect must be paid him if you are to accompany us. Do you understand?”

The five wolves nod.

“We are on our way to a city den,” Arthur continues. “You may find the company you seek there. If you choose to accompany us, you will be my subordinates until the moment we choose to part.”

Balfour looks to the four wolves with him and then back at Arthur. “We accept those terms in exchange for the guidance and protection of the Alpha of the Pendragon pack.”

“It is decided, then.” All the wolves relax somewhat, and Will and Mordred help Merlin up from the ground.

Merlin makes the rest of their journey still covered in Arthur’s emissions, but he doesn’t really mind it. When they reach the far outskirts of the city, the sight of the large wood cabin nestled beneath the pines with the sign “Wolf Haven” hanging in front of it is such a welcomed sight to all, they quicken their pace and cover the space in half the time, eager to have this phase of the trip over with.

 

 


	8. Wolf Haven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The omegas see the omega den at Wolf Haven.
> 
> *Quit lurking and say hello! :)

  
“This place is weird,” Will whispers into Merlin’s ear later that evening when they’re settled in Wolf Haven’s omega den. The alphas and betas are all talking upstairs, their voices a low rumble above them. At first, everyone had been in the meeting—except for Merlin and one other wolf in heat—but soon Will and Mordred came down to be with their friend, and later the other omegas from the city den joined them.

“Not weird, just different,” Merlin says, clasping Will’s hand in his. It’s cold; Merlin knows that Will is uncomfortable being here. Hell, Merlin’s uncomfortable, too; but as pack vixen, it’s his responsibility to make the other omegas feel secure. “We’ll be fine. It’s nice and cozy, and everyone seems nice.”

It was an underground basement that had been made over with carpeted floors and oak walls. A pot-bellied stove sat in the corner giving off heat, since it was a lot chillier below ground, and there were photos of fields and forests on the walls. Plump pillows were scattered everywhere, as well as a mattress or two. Mordred lay his head on Merlin’s shoulder, snuggling closer to him, and Merlin pulled his knees up to his chest, unconsciously drawing himself in from the strangers in the room.

“Hi, I’m Kasha,” a thin, small girl that reminded Merlin a bit of Freya walked over and sat down in front of where the three reclined against the wall. Merlin’s heart ached a moment for his lost friend—always so sweet and willing to help others. It was unfair that she died the way she did, swollen with Percy’s unborn pups.

“I’m Merlin.” Merlin stuck out his hand to shake, letting Kasha hold it a moment and catch his scent.

“This is Mordred and this is Will.” Merlin gestures to each side of him.

“Where are you from?” Kasha settles comfortably back onto a big, scarlet pillow and crosses her arms behind her head, wren-brown hair spilling around her fragile-looking features.

“Back East a ways. We are looking for an old friend of mine that someone told us moved out here. His name is Jude Bivens.”

“Hey, I know him!” A girl creeps forward on hands and knees from where she’d been resting with a few others.

“You do?” Merlin brightens.

“Not well, but that’s the guy’s name that I met when I went hiking recently.”

“Hiking?” Will scrunches up his face. He’s slowly unwinding from his grip on Merlin, obviously warming up to the strangers. Merlin has enjoyed watching Will take in everything about city wolves and humans during their travels.

“Yeah—you know, where you climb mountains and stuff.”

“Isn’t that just…walking?” Will asks.

“Humans call it hiking…I guess because it’s not something they do all the time. They do it for recreation. You know, fun. I’m Beth, by the way.” She shakes each of their hands. Merlin thinks she smells welcoming, just as Kasha did, and he’s relieved. It would have been awful not to feel comfortable in a place where they had to stay for a while.

“What do you know about Jude?” Merlin asks. Could their search be over? He gets excited just thinking about going home. “Was he one of the hikers?”

Beth shakes her head and runs a hand through her short, blond hair. “He was a guide. I can show you—tomorrow, if you want.”

“Yes, please! Arthur and I can be ready anytime you want.”

“Is Arthur that hot alpha I saw you with?”

“He’s my true-mate,” Merlin says proudly. “As well as pack leader.”

“Really?” Both Beth and Kasha’s eyes grow wide. “I thought true-mates were just something somebody made up.”

“We are all mated to our true-mates,” Mordred says. “I came to the pack from Sola and met Cenred, and we’re true-mates.”

The girls look at them like they can’t believe it. “Three sets of true-mates in one pack?”

“I don’t suppose it’s very usual,” Merlin admits. It seems to be just one more of the odd things about the Pendragon pack. Arthur had told Merlin that until Leon and Will found each other, Tristan and Isolde had been the only true-mates in the pack for many years. Gilly and Daegal had only discovered their bond just before Arthur left for the city and found Merlin. After Merlin’s arrival as Arthur’s true-mate, Gwaine and Nim found each other, as well as Lance and Simon. Most recently, Will and Leon’s daughter Audrey found her true-mate in her brother Clyde’s best friend, Sully.

“I’ve never heard of such!” Beth says, turning her head and looking behind her. “Hey, you guys! Ever met anyone with a true-mate?”

This brings a crowd around them and a discussion on true-mates, fact or fiction. Some always thought they were real but never met any, some thought they were a myth. All were surprised to hear there were three sets of them staying there.

“What’s it like?” A young man named Timothy eagerly leans forward. “Do you have a bond, like the stories say?” Will nods and tries to explain what it’s like. When he relays that they’ve all given the mating bite back to their alphas, there’s a chorus of oohs and aahs that makes Merlin’s face red with embarrassment.

By the time Arthur shows up looking for Merlin, Merlin’s more than ready to be rescued.

“Merlin, what’s going on?” Arthur asks, pulling his mate up from the middle of the crowd of omegas. “I felt your discomfort through the bond.”

“Awwww!” the omegas swoon together, and Arthur looks at them in consternation.

“I’ll explain in bed,” Merlin says, tugging Arthur toward the stairs just as Cenred and Leon come down. Will is still happily explaining the benefits of having a true-mate when Leon tells him it’s time to go upstairs.

“Just one more minute,” Will says, obviously enjoying regaling his audience with stories.

“Will, _now_!” Leon’s tired and in no mood to be argued with.

“Ooooo…Is there going to be a _punishment_?” one girl asks, and Will flushes.

“Oh, I assure you, there is,” Leon says, dragging Will away.

Mordred stand and ducks under Cenred’s arm. “That was a long meeting.”

“Yeah, well, they have a lot of rules here,” Cenred says. “You practically have to give blood to be accepted.”

“I guess that’s a good thing, though.” They climb the stairs, arms around one another’s waists. To the right, talking and laughter come from the meeting room that the alphas just came from, and to the left, sounds of cleaning up from the large kitchen.

The first thing the group had done when they’d arrived was eat dinner. They’d been generously served beef stew and bread, as well as a delicious apple cobbler by the “den mother,” an older vixen named Polly, before being escorted into the meeting room for interrogation.

“It seems a safe enough place,” Cenred says. “And they have enough bedrooms. There aren’t many mated couples here, so a lot of them sleep in the omega den or another room reserved for alphas and betas.”

“Thank the father wolf,” Mordred says. “It’s going to be great having some privacy without having to sleep in a closet!”

“Amen to that.” Cenred pulls Mordred in for a heated kiss before they take the second stairway up to the bedrooms. Sounds of a bed banging against a wall followed by Merlin’s well-known keen of pleasure come from the last door to the right. Behind another door comes the repeated smacking of a hand on flesh, and Will’s half-cry, half-moan.

“Sounds like Will’s getting a spanking,” Cenred says. “That boy can’t be good to save his life.”

“I don’t know.” Mordred follows his alpha into the room across the hall. “Sometimes I think he likes his punishments a little too much.”

 


	9. Jude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth takes Merlin and Arthur to Jude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never been to New Mexico. Sorry for any errors about it.

In Merlin’s initial excitement to find Jude, he’d neglected to consider his heat when agreeing to go with Beth the following day. Instead, he spends the majority of the week knotted to Arthur, who limits the amount of sperm he releases into Merlin by pulling out immediately when his knot breaks and squirting his spunk all over Merlin’s arse; getting Merlin pregnant on this trip would not be ideal.

As soon as Arthur deems Merlin presentable and relatively heat-free, they find Beth and ask her to take them to the hiking area where she’d met Jude.

To Arthur and Merlin’s surprise, Wolf Haven has its own automobile.

Merlin has seen cars before, of course, having lived in a city; but he’s never ridden in one, managing to get around by walking or on bicycle. Instinct tells the wolf to distrust machinery such as this, and seeing the two Pendragon wolves’ trepidation, Beth tries to sooth their fears.

“I know—it was difficult for me to get used to, also. But I did, and I liked it so much, I learned to drive.” She gives them a bright smile. Arthur stands as though shielding Merlin from the offensive killing machine before them—a blue, two-door Honda Civic—and Beth opens the passenger door to show him the interior. Arthur leans forward and sniffs it.

“Really, we’ll save so much time going by car,” Beth says. “It would take us hours even in wolf form to get there, but only minutes driving.” She bites her lip and waits submissively for the alpha’s decision.

Merlin touches Arthur’s arm, making him turn to look at him and gives his alpha an encouraging look.

Arthur sighs.

“All right. Let’s get this over with.”

Beth grins, bouncing on her toes before helping Merlin into the back seat and showing him how to work the seat belt. She’d planned for Arthur to sit up front, but he grunts and pushes into the back beside his mate.

Once on their way, Arthur trying not to appear as though he’s clutching the seat as the scenery whizzes by at too great a speed and Merlin staring curiously out the windows, Beth chatters about how she came to Wolf Haven seven years ago when she was just starting her heats. Her parents had been killed in a cougar attack, and she’d survived by waitressing in the city. Once her heats came on, she’d been fearful until a colleague had told her about Wolf Haven.

“Are there many wolves in Albuquerque?” Merlin asks.

“Quite a few, but not omegas,” Beth says, taking a turn. From the corner of his eye, Merlin sees Arthur tense beside him as the car veers left. Arthur definitely does not like the car. Merlin thinks it’s pretty okay—almost exciting, now that he’s gotten used to the movement. Will would really like it, Merlin thinks, and wishes he’d thought to ask him to come along. Leon probably wouldn’t have allowed it, though, and Will still has a bit of trouble sitting comfortably for long periods of time.

“Those of us who are omegas don’t like to venture out too much---there are rogue wolves all over looking for omegas,” Beth says, and Merlin thinks of the wolves they met in the forest. He hasn’t seen much of them since they’ve been at Wolf Haven, but then Merlin’s been a bit busy getting fucked by Arthur.

True to Beth’s word, it doesn’t take them long to get to their destination.

North Sandia Peak rises from a great rock formation called the Shield; and, according to Beth, has five trails with elevations going from 0 to 3500 feet.

They pay the parking fee and leave the car in the parking area.

“The Shield, Prow, and Needle are closed right now due to raptor nesting, but we could hike the Knife Edge if you want,” Beth says as they walk.

“I don’t think we’ll really do any hiking,” Arthur says, still tight-lipped from the ride in the car. “Let’s just see if we can find the fellow we’re looking for.”

Shrugging, Beth leads them to the guide station and once in the cool interior, asks someone if Jude Bivens is working. As the man disappears into a back room, Merlin wonders if it’s really going to be this easy. A moment later, and a tall, willowy man Merlin is certain is Jude walks in, a look of pleasant curiosity on his face.

“Jude,” Merlin says, and hazel eyes turn his way.

“Hello,” Jude smiles, a small spark of recognition in his gaze. “Do I know you?”

Merlin licks his lips and looks around. “Can we have a few minutes of your time?”

Jude comes out from behind the counter and indicates a door to the left.

“I’ll just hang out here,” Beth says, and Arthur nods, placing a possessive hand to the small of Merlin’s back as they follow Jude through the door.

“I’m Merlin…Merlin Pendragon, er Emrys. From the orphanage,” Merlin says as soon as they’re alone with Jude.

Jude’s mouth drops and then he smiles widely, showing white teeth.

“Blue Eyes! Gods, it’s been so long!” He grabs Merlin up in a hug, and Merlin hears Arthur growl from behind him. Jude immediately releases him. “I take it this is your alpha.” He smiles at Arthur.

Arthur grudgingly puts out a hand to shake.

“Arthur Pendragon.”

Jude’s eyes widen. “Of the legendary Pack Pendragon? Wow!” He grins at Merlin. “You’ve really done well for yourself, Blue Eyes.”

Arthur growls again, and the beta cringes.

“Sorry. Old habit. What brings you two here?”

“We were looking for you.” Excited, Merlin begins to talk fast, explaining that he’s been having prophetic dreams in which Jude plays a big part and that information from Jude is likely to help them save their pack from the killing famine that's threatening them.

As Jude listens, he appears more and more confused.

“How in the world would I know anything that could save your pack?” he asks, looking from Merlin to Arthur. “I’m just a hiking guide. A regular beta wolf.”

Merlin gnaws on his lower lip. “Maybe _because_ you’re beta?” He looks to Arthur. “Betas have become kind of a special thing to us lately.”

Someone calls Jude’s name from the front.

“Listen, Blu—Merlin. It’s been great seeing you again, but I don’t see how I can possibly help you. And I really need to get back to work.” He walks toward the door.

“Maybe—“ Merlin looks at Arthur in panic, “maybe you’d have dinner with us? We’re staying at Wolf Haven…”

“I’ve heard of the place,” Jude says, pausing in the open doorway. “Sure. I guess I can come see you tonight. Can I bring my mate?”

“Of course!” Merlin says, noting with some amusement that Arthur seems to relax at the fact that Jude is mated. “Come any time tonight.”

“See you then.” Jude grins. “Nice to meet you, Arthur.”

Merlin breathes a sigh of relief, and Arthur gathers him into his arms.

“Something will turn up,” he promises, and Merlin can almost believe it.

 


	10. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new alpha takes a distinct liking to Merlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for typos in previous chapter. "North Sandria" was the name of the place. As old readers will know, I write in the mornings before work--rapidly. I go back and fix errors later. (Not that I don't re-read before posting, but you know what I mean.)
> 
> The following chapter will contain more of the fall-out from this.

Merlin tries to help Polly prepare dinner, but she won’t have it.

“You go tend to something else; I have this under control.”

So Merlin wanders into the living area and, seeing that someone’s already straightened it up, sits down and picks up a book to read. Arthur has gone to take a shower, feeling somehow dirtied by his experience in the car, and Merlin’s eyes become heavy as he turns the pages, only partly absorbing the story about a cowboy and his thriving ranch.

A stifling presence beside Merlin on the couch awakens him from a doze, and his eyes flutter open.

“You have the most gorgeous blue eyes,” a voice says, and instinct hits, curling Merlin in on himself.

A hand comes out to stroke Merlin’s face, lingering over a sharp cheek bone.

“So pretty. I’ve never seen such a lovely omega. I’ll bet you’re nice and juicy when you’re in heat. I’d like to find out how juicy.”

The strange alpha is fucking huge, Merlin sees when he dares cast his eyes up for a brief moment. The testosterone wafting Merlin’s way nearly chokes him, making him dizzy and more than a little afraid. He wants to call Arthur over his bond, but he hesitates, hoping the alpha will stop when he realizes Merlin’s taken, for surely he will sense Arthur’s strong scent upon him.

“You’d best leave him alone,” another voice says from the doorway, and Merlin flicks his eyes that way to see Balfour, the alpha from the forest. Relief washes over Merlin that he is no longer alone. “His mate killed an alpha I was traveling with for less.”

“I don’t think I’m too worried about that,” the strange alpha says, leaning forward to sniff at Merlin.

Not since Declan from Pack Freemont has Merlin had an alpha other than his mate so close and intent on having him—actually touching him-- but even Declan hadn’t been like this—intense and completely unconcerned about repercussions. He knew enough to fear Arthur’s rage.

This large alpha’s powerful scent frightens Merlin in more ways than one—it innately tells Merlin that there’s real strength here, along with a desire to own that makes Merlin’s knees instinctively watery; it also terrifies Merlin in the other physical changes it causes, such as a fast heart-beat, a slow dripping of oestrum from his now-fluttering hole, and the overwhelming urge to yield. This alpha is larger even than Percy, and that’s saying something, and Merlin has a real fear for Arthur's life were he to engage in battle with him. This is what prevents Merlin from sending a clear message over their bond to Arthur to come and help him, but any moment now he may be forced to do it, as the domineering alpha is making no move to let up on his posturing and Merlin’s defenses are weakening.

An odd prickling starts at the back of Merlin's neck as the alpha tilts his head and looks at Merlin almost questioningly.

In the end, Merlin’s shaking mental condition is enough to send Arthur flying down the stairs, nude and dripping, teeth bared and snarling. He jerks the larger alpha off the couch and sends him flying into a far wall before placing himself firmly between Merlin and the threat. Balfour had retreated at the first signs of Arthur’s impending fury, but the offending alpha doesn’t seem particularly concerned, even as he pushes himself off the floor and rubs the shoulder that hit the wall, eyes flicking from Arthur to land and stay on Merlin.

Arthur’s chest heaves heavily with fury, shoulders forward and tendons on his neck sticking out. His back is to Merlin, but Merlin can see the muscles bunching, and the stark tension along his buttocks and thighs. Testosterone hangs heavily in the air, making Merlin’s limbs shake and forcing his head to the side in submissive surrender.

“How dare you touch him!” Arthur shouts. “He’s mine! MINE!”

Merlin quivers at the words, every molecule of his being agreeing with them.

The other alpha merely tilts his lips up. “Yours until he’s taken from you.”

Arthur growls and launches forward in attack, and Merlin’s heart stops for a moment, paralyzed with fear.

A loud crack and smoke and Merlin blinks to find the odd sight of Polly standing in the center of the room, an old gun in her hand pointed to the ceiling with smoke curling from its tip. Arthur and the other alpha have frozen in a tableau of suspended rage.

“There will be no fighting at Wolf Haven,” Polly says calmly, her other hand smoothing down her apron in the front. “You were read the rules when you came here---fighting will get you kicked out.”

The larger alpha recovers first, standing erect and brushing himself off. “Wouldn’t want that. Sorry, Miss Polly.” He turns and walks out. Arthur coils to go after him, but Merlin whimpers, bringing his mate immediately to his side.

Arthur scoops Merlin from the couch and takes him upstairs, nose pressed against Merlin’s mating mark.

Ear pressed to Arthur’s chest, Merlin can hear the deep growls and rumbles there and just below that, a rapid heartbeat. He clutches at his mate’s shoulders, body still trembling from the ordeal, and leans his head farther to the side in offering. Arthur licks and sucks at Merlin’s mark before sinking his teeth in, causing Merlin to arch up, coming in his pants. Arthur worries at the bite mark a moment before setting Merlin gently on the bed and running his nose up and down the length of Merlin’s body.

“I smell him all over you,” Arthur rasps, ripping the clothes from Merlin’s body and tossing them haphazardly to the floor. For every bit of fabric he removes, he runs his tongue over Merlin’s skin, sometimes nibbling and sometimes downright biting. Merlin groans, offering himself up. When Arthur has Merlin completely naked on the bed, he spreads himself over him, rubbing against him, cock dripping. Filled with his mate’s unique scent, Merlin sighs and grunts in contentment.

Arthur lifts one of Merlin’s legs, placing it onto Arthur’s shoulder as he runs his lips up Merlin’s calf, tongue swiping at the skin. Merlin clings to Arthur’s free hand, yearning for the touch and comfort of his true-mate. Arthur’s cock stands proud and erect between them, the tip dripping onto Merlin’s belly. Arthur leans down to spread the puddle into Merlin’s skin using his tongue, lapping it upward until he’s distracted by a pert nipple and pulls that into his mouth. Merlin writhes in pleasure and need, his own fat cock pulsing sporadically.

“Arthur…”

Arthur enters Merlin swiftly, knotting him fast as Merlin’s belly tenses in need. Just as Arthur’s knot breaks, he pulls it out and uses his hand to jerk broad streaks of white spunk all over Merlin’s body and face before flipping Merlin over on the bed, buttocks up. Arthur enters him again, pounding in fast until Merlin can’t think or breathe or function at all, and then Arthur’s knotting again, stretching Merlin and smashing his sensitive prostate, making him come…come…come…

This time when Arthur pulls out, Merlin feels the sensation of hot piss splashing over his skin, marking him further.

“Gods, Arthur…”

“Mine,” Arthur says, for the hundredth time since they entered the bedroom. “Mine, mine, mine.”

 


	11. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things begin to click into place for Merlin. Hold on tightly for this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 to my readers, especially all those who always take time to comment. :-)

It takes some cajoling on Merlin’s part to get Arthur to move off him so Merlin can shower before their guests arrive. Arthur grumbles and paces in front of the shower door before stepping into the stall himself and wrapping his arms around Merlin.

Still shaking from his experience, and more than a little alarmed at the way his body reacted to the new alpha, Merlin welcomes the attention even though it makes it much more difficult for him to soap up. After burying his face in the curls at the back of Merlin’s neck for a few moments, Arthur relents, stepping back to help Merlin to wash. This, of course, leads to Arthur stroking Merlin’s cock with a soapy hand, and the two are later than they’d meant to be when they walk down the stairs to the main floor, hands entwined. Merlin’s beginning to feel almost normal again, and a smile alights his face when Polly greets them.

“Your guests just arrived,” Polly says, wiping her hands on her apron. “They’re in the living room.” She leans toward Merlin and Arthur and whispers, “I gave Ansel a good talking to, coming onto you like that, Merlin. He had no right. But honestly, it surprised me a bit…he’s not usually that a-way, although he’s a bit outspoken and rough around the edges. Been living here four months now, ever since he came down from California.”

“Ansel?” the edges of Merlin’s memory tingle at the name.

Arthur’s mouth tugs down and his nostrils flare, and Polly pats his arm.

“Don’t you worry,” the older woman says, “everyone can see who this handsome omega belongs to. Now, dinner’s almost ready. I’ll call you in a few.” She hurries back to the kitchen.

Merlin kisses Arthur softly on the mouth and tugs on his hand, leading him into the living room. Between talking to Jude earlier and what happened with Ansel, Merlin’s nerves are frayed. Now his stomach tightens at the prospect that Jude will be unable to enlighten them at all, and they’ve come all this way for nothing.

As soon as Merlin walks into the room, he notices something is different. Beneath the lasting layer of testosterone that hangs in the air, there’s something else—something oddly comforting and familiar. The room is alight with the soft glow of several lamps, and the heavy curtains on the large front window are drawn, adding to the cozy feel. A merry fire burns in the fireplace. There's a bullet-sized hole in the ceiling, but the plaster's been swept away.

At their entrance, Jude turns from the mantle where he’s been looking at the photos of Wolf Haven’s occupants over the years, a slightly younger man beside him who immediately draws Merlin’s gaze. He’s a little shorter than Jude, with dirty blond hair and eyes of a mottled green color that immediately come to rest on Merlin.

Jude smiles at them before turning his eyes to his mate.

“Chad, this is Merlin,” Jude says, and then, seemingly as an afterthought, “and his alpha, Arthur.”

Arthur shakes the beta’s hand, but Chad’s eyes only leave Merlin for the briefest of moments.

“I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence,” Chad says, a smile breaking out on his face. “I mean, how many Merlin’s do you meet in one lifetime?”

Recognition dawns so suddenly and forcefully, Merlin’s knees shake with it, and he launches forward into Chad’s embrace. Behind him, he can hear Arthur’s low growl as Chad's arms wrap around Merlin and squeeze him tightly. Merlin clings to his old friend whom he hasn’t seen in so many long years, soaking up his scent and presence. Only when the hairs stand up on the back of his neck and every molecule in his body pulls him to Arthur does Merlin let go and stumble back to duck under Arthur’s arm and bow his head submissively. Arthur’s body vibrates with renewed alarm, and Merlin places a hand on his mate’s taut abdomen in an attempt to sooth him.

“Merlin and Chad were in the same pack,” Jude explains, a happy smile on his face. “When I told Chad who came to see me today, the name made him wonder.”

Merlin leans his face into Arthur’s neck, sucking in a deep, calming breath of Arthur’s scent before turning back to their guests. He can’t believe that Chad is really there in front of him.

“But, how…the raid. Everyone died. I saw…” Merlin swallows the bile the memory brings with it. “I saw so many bodies.”

“My older brother and I heard them coming. We were swimming in the pond—remember, Merlin?” Chad asks. “Right behind old Pritchard’s den.” A vision of a murky swimming hole forms in Merlin’s mind, and he nods. “We weren’t supposed to be doing it, so we had our ears pricked for anyone coming. We hid, and when the violence started, ran. We came back later and saw…” Chad’s eyes darken, haunted. Merlin nods in understanding, remembering.

“I thought you were dead,” Merlin quietly says.

“I thought you were!” Chad reaches out and, with a quick look to Arthur for consent, takes Merlin’s hand in his, squeezing it. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you.”

Merlin runs his free hand through his hair. “I lived for years in an orphanage. That's where I met Jude. Where have you been all this time?”

“Ansel and I took care of each other,” Chad says, and Merlin’s back stiffens at the same time that Arthur’s hand tightens about his waist.

“Ansel?” Arthur’s voice is sharp.

Chad nods.

“What happened to him?” Merlin asks.

“We stayed together for a long time, until we were attacked by a rogue pack that wound up taking me in. But Ansel’s an alpha, and…” Chad looks at the floor, and Jude wraps an arm around him, tugging him close to his side.

“Chad’s brother fought them," Jude says, "trying to keep Chad safe. The pack’s Alpha killed Ansel.”

“He’s dead?” Merlin asks. “Are you sure?”                     

“He was as good as when they dragged me away with them,” Chad says, laying his head on Jude’s shoulder. “But I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” He takes a deep breath. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you, Merlin.”

Merlin’s entire body tingles from being in the presence of someone from his pack. He’s torn between wanting to stay by his alpha’s side and wanting to sniff and touch Chad. They’d been best friends when they were little, and Merlin had thought him dead for so long, he’s frankly in shock over having him here in front of him. Added to that is the instinctual pull of a pack member—something Merlin hasn’t felt in years. Until…

“Chad, there’s a man here called Ansel,” Merlin says. “I felt an odd affinity with him when I met him earlier today.”

Arthur’s head whips around so fast that Merlin thinks he hears it crack. “What?”

Merlin bites his lip. “I didn’t tell you because it had all been so weird and...” He can’t finish the sentence. He’s so wound up, he begins wringing his hands with anxiety.

“I’m sure there are a lot of Ansel’s around,” Jude says, but Chad is immediately alert with excitement.

“Yes, but a wolf feels something for his pack. And Merlin…”

“We should call Ansel in here,” Merlin cuts Chad off.

“You’re not doing it.” Arthur almost painfully tightens his grip on Merlin.

At that moment, Polly walks in to announce dinner is ready, and Arthur reluctantly asks her to fetch Ansel. Polly looks surprised, but she turns and walks toward the alphas’ gathering room.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Jude tells Chad, gently stroking his mate’s hair.

Chad nods, but he still looks hopeful to Merlin’s eyes.

Merlin senses Ansel before he actually appears and starts to quiver. A growl rumbles through Arthur’s body, and he pulls Merlin in so that Merlin’s body is flush with Arthur’s, hip bone to hip bone. Merlin tucks his face into Arthur’s neck, seeking his scent even though he’d like to see what’s going on.

“What’s this—Chad?” Ansel stops in his tracks, and Merlin hears the wonder in his voice. It’s him. It’s really Chad’s brother. But Merlin already knew that it had to be.

There's the sound of two bodies coming together, and Merlin peeks out from Arthur’s neck to see the brother’s joyfully embracing, Chad wrapped around Ansel like a monkey to a tree.

“I thought you were dead!” Chad keeps saying, and then he’s sobbing, and it’s strange for Merlin to see Ansel’s formerly pugnacious face soften into tears.

Jude begins to explain the situation and gradually the two brothers separate and introductions are made.

Arthur keeps Merlin well away from Ansel when they go in to dinner, practically pulling his omega onto his lap. Merlin doesn’t mind—he’s filled with confusion and unrest at the turn of events.

As Ansel and Chad talk of their lives since they saw one another last, Ansel casts several glances Merlin’s way. Thankfully, Arthur doesn’t notice. Merlin pokes at his food. Under the table, a foot touches his, and Merlin jerks. He doesn’t have to look to know whose foot it is. More and more memories flood into Merlin’s mind, and with each his stomach tightens a notch until he’s fairly nauseous with it.

When dinner’s over and Merlin offers to clear the table, Leon appears to ask Arthur a question. In the few seconds that Arthur is distracted, Ansel leans in toward Merlin.

“No wonder you smell so good to me. We were intended mates—promised at birth…but you’ve realized that, haven’t you Merlin?”

 

 

 


	12. Confiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin talks to Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was afraid I might not get a chapter in this morning, but here it is!

“I’m telling you, Leon, something is up with Merlin and that Ansel fellow,” Will says stubbornly as he beds a geranium and pats the soil down around it. One of the stipulations for staying at Wolf Haven is contributing to its up-keep, and Leon and Will have chosen to help with the maintenance of the garden.

“You’d better watch out—if Arthur hears you saying that, he’ll lay into you something terrible, and I won’t intervene.” Leon removes a large rock as he clears out another flower bed for planting.

Will grumbles. “Don’t you even care?”

“The Alpha can take care of his omega. I have my own to worry about, and he’s a handful.” Leon sits back on his haunches to survey his work.

“I can feel it, I’m telling you,” Will says. “Omegas are very attuned to one another, and Merlin absolutely vibrates when that big hulk of an alpha comes near.”

“If you’re so worried about it, why don’t you talk to Merlin?” Leon raises a brow.

Will stands up and brushes the dirt off his hands. “Thanks, honey; I’ll do that now!” He disappears around the corner as Leon shakes his head and resigns himself to completing the rest of the work himself.

Will finds Merlin un-shelving, cleaning, and re-shelving the books in the library.

“Where’s Arthur?” Will perches on the edge of the large, red chair in the corner. “I thought he’d be watching you like a hawk.”

Merlin sneezes and waves a puff of dust rising from the huge tome he’d just opened out of his face.

“Arthur is working on a plumbing problem with Cenred.”

Will bites his lip, wondering how he can broach the subject if Merlin’s unwilling to take the bait. He sighs and leans back.

“What’s on your mind, Will?” Merlin slides the now dust-free book back onto the shelf.

Will crosses his arms over his chest. “Maybe I’m just jealous that your best friend has come back into your life. Did you find anything out?”

Merlin shakes head, giving up on the dusting with another sneeze. He stands, stretches, and climbs into the chair with Will.

Will makes room, wrapping his arms around Merlin and laying his head on Merlin’s shoulder.

“I’m scared we won’t find the answers, Will,” Merlin says quietly. “Jude doesn’t seem to know anything at all.”

“Do you think it may have more to do with the fact that he’s married to someone from your original pack than the fact that you knew him at the orphanage?”

Merlin stills. “Gods, Will. You may be right!”

“It happens occasionally.” Will grins. “Now tell me what the deal is with Ansel.”

Merlin’s face immediately becomes guarded. “What do you mean?”

“I mean—what gives? I can tell he has an effect on you, and the way you’re tearing up your lower lip right now tells me the very subject makes you nervous.”

Merlin stops biting, and his face reddens.

“Come on,” Will urges. “Who else are you going to confide in? Not Arthur…he’ll rip the jerk’s head off, and we’ll be out of here on our arses.”

Merlin crumples, leaning into Will. “Fuck, Will! I knew the moment I felt Ansel hovering over me that there was something—“

“Are you attracted to him?” Will asks, eyes growing wide. It would be an incredible thing for an omega to turn on his true-mate for another alpha, and Will frankly can’t imagine Merlin doing it. He’s never seen two mates in love like Merlin and Arthur. Well, except for himself and Leon. And maybe Mordred and Cenred. But they were all a little exceptional as mates go.

When Merlin doesn’t immediately deny it, Will shifts to look at him.

“Oh, stop,” Merlin says, shoving Will in the chest. “Not like you think. The attraction is a pull—not anything like what I feel for Arthur. The thing is…” Merlin licks his lips, hesitating.

Will hopes Merlin knows he can trust him. He takes Merlin’s hand in his and squeezes. Merlin relaxes.

“Ansel is…my intended mate,” Merlin finally blurts out.

Will frowns. “Your…oh!”

Merlin nods. “Since birth. We were supposed to be together. Our parents did the ritual and everything.”

“But…but that can’t truly matter. He could never take you from Arthur. You would die!”

Merlin shakes his head. “Normally, yes. But my entire pack was decimated, and Ansel is the oldest surviving alpha—technically making him the Alpha of my pack. He could challenge Arthur for me, kill Arthur, and claim me and my children as his own, the same as Declan planned to.”

Will swallows, the very idea abhorrent. He shakes his head in disbelief. “How do you get yourself into these things, mate? You’re like a magnet to pumped-up, arrogant alphas!”

Merlin sighs and leans back into the chair cushions, staring at the ceiling. “It’s a curse.” He says after a moment and gives Will a wry smile.

“So when are you going to let Arthur know what’s going on?” Will fidgets with Merlin’s fingers.

“I was sort of hoping we could just go home and forget about it, but Ansel probably isn’t going to let that happen. Plus, there’s still the matter of saving our pack.”

Will nods, lost in thought. He snuggles into Merlin, and after a bit they both doze off.

Merlin awakens to find Arthur standing over him, one eyebrow raised in amusement. “You call this cleaning, _Mer_ lin?”

“Prat,” Merlin huffs, untangling himself from Will and standing. “For your information, I was working until Will came in and proposed a chat.”

“Doesn’t look much like you were chatting,” Arthur says, pulling Merlin in for a deep kiss, tongue laving over Merlin’s, making Merlin’s insides turn to butter.

“Leon’s looking for you,” Arthur tells Will, and Will stands and stretches with a groan.

“I hope he’s finished the garden,” Will says with a cheeky grin and exits the room.

“I missed you.” Arthur presses his lips to Merlin’s neck, nibbling at Merlin’s mating bite. The action immediately stiffens Merlin’s cock.

“Arthur…” Merlin says on a sigh as Arthur kneels and opens Merlin’s pants. They’ve taken to wearing the loose cotton clothing they wore at the ranch, preferring to avoid denims or other human garb unless leaving the premises.

Arthur pulls Merlin’s thick cock out and wraps his lips around it, sucking hard. Merlin’s legs tremble, and he stumbles to lean against the chair. The door to the room stands open, and anyone could walk in at any moment. It lends a dangerous feel that pumps up Merlin’s blood. He leans his head back and moans as Arthur’s tongue circles and teases. Merlin’s balls tighten and his breath quickens. Arthur’s large hands kneed at Merlin’s arse, fingers inching toward his crack. Merlin lets out a grunt as his need builds, fingers reaching to tangle into blond hair. His eyes flutter open and the sight of Arthur taking him down to his throat sets off his release. As Merlin pulses into Arthur’s mouth, chest heaving, he turns to find someone in the doorway.

Ansel’s eyes burn hot with desire and something else that Merlin can’t read.


	13. Twin Globes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will goes for Leon's arse, and Merlin resolves to fix things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what? Two chapters in one day!

Will checks the garden, and Leon has indeed finished their tasks. Thinking his alpha has probably headed for a shower, Will climbs the stairs to see about perhaps joining him—thoughts of his alpha’s broad back and creamy skin dancing through his mind. Partway down the hall, he’s arrested by the sounds of mating coming from behind Cenred and Mordred’s door. Hearing them mate is not unusual, of course, but these particular sounds…

Will creeps forward and presses his ear to the door.

“Unh…unh…unh…gods, Modred…harder!”

Will’s eyes grow wide. Surely not.

“Yeah, like that, give it to me.”

“Cenred.” Mordred’s voice is barely above a whisper, but Will’s sharp ears catch the words. “…my fat cock stretching you so wide…”

“Holy—“ Will claps his hand over his mouth and backs away from the door. Sure, he’s had his suspicions, but— _gods!_

Merlin appears from around the corner and stops when he sees Will.

“What’s going on?”

Will, leaving one hand over his mouth, points at the door with the other. Merlin frowns and steps forward, pressing his ear to the wood as Will had done just a moment before. A few second later, his cheeks redden and he steps away.

“He’s letting Mordred fuck him!” Will mouths, making crude gestures with his fingers.

Merlin’s face is often a mirror of what he’s thinking, and this is no exception. When Merlin only shrugs helplessly and quickly makes for his own room, Will wants to grab his friend’s arm and force him to talk, but he doesn’t. Instead, he enters his own room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

The splashing of the shower and the sound of Leon humming comes from the other side of the bathroom door, and Will sheds his clothes before opening it. Behind a billow of steam, Leon stands nude under the spray, muscles working as he scrubs his chest and stomach. Will’s eyes move down to the swell of Leon’s arse, white, smooth, and lovely. He pulls the curtain the rest of the way open and steps inside, and Leon jumps.

“You startled me!” Leon laughs. When he sees Will’s feral look and the way his cock juts from his body, Leon backs against the wall. “William? What’s going on in that mind of yours?”

Will raises his hands and places them on Leon’s chest, just beside his nipples. Leon’s pecs are firm and tantalizing. He rubs over them, liking the feel of wet chest hair beneath his palms.

Below, Leon’s prick comes to attention, swelling into a long curve that touches his taut belly with its red tip.

Leaning in, Will runs his tongue over a nipple, and Leon’s hands come up to rest at Will’s waist.

“How about turning around?” Will says before leaning forward to sprinkle kisses over Leon’s jaw and neck.

“Hmm? Turn around?” Leon’s distracted, his thumbs making twin patterns over the soft skin of Will’s sides.

“Yeah. Let me see that fine alpha arse of yours. I was admiring it when I walked in.”

Leon smiles and turns, and Will immediately grabs hold of the pale globes, one in each hand, squeezing hard. Leon groans.

“Will, I think you’re asking for a good fucking.”

“Actually…I thought maybe we’d do it another way.”

Leon looks over his shoulder. “Another way?”

“Yeah.” Will’s hard as a brick, and he leans forward and rubs his thick erection against Leon’s crack to show him just how hard. Leon jerks and moves away, turning to face Will as he shuts off the water.

“No way.”

“Leon…” Will tries to keep the whine out of his voice, but he _wants this!_

“I’m an alpha, Will. I bottom for no one.”

“Even your mate?”

“Especially my mate!”

“What the hell does that mean?” Frustrated, Will puts his hands on his hips.

“It means you’re my omega, and my cock belongs in your arse!”

Leon steps out of the shower and grabs a towel off the rack. Will follows, arguing.

“Just because you’re an alpha doesn’t mean you can’t be fucked once in a while.”

“Yes, it does, Will. I’m pretty sure the term means just that.”

Will huffs and readies his ammunition. “Well, I’ll have you know that Cenred takes Mordred up the arse.”

Leon looks at him, startled. He shakes his head. “Of course he doesn’t.”

“I’ve heard them. Heard him begging for more.”

Leon deliberates before shrugging. “Well, Cenred’s never been a paragon of our kind.”

Will brushes that off and goes for the big guns. “What about our Alpha?”

“Arthur?” Leon lies down on the bed and stretches, arms over his head and long legs extended. He curls his toes and yawns.

“Yes, _Arthur._ ” Will rolls his eyes. “Is he a paragon of your kind? Because I’m pretty sure he takes it up his pretty, pert arse once in a while, too.”

Leon’s eyes narrow, and Will thinks he may have gone a bit far by describing the virtues of Arthur’s arse.

“Arthur does not take it up the arse.” Leon points a finger at him. “And you’d better not be talking about that incident with Declan…”

“I would never!” Will’s genuinely hurt by that. What happened to their Alpha had been shocking but also heroic on Arthur’s part. Will would never bring that up. Never. “I’m talking about Merlin, of course. Merlin as well as admitted it, with his transparent angelic face.”

Leon knows this is true about Merlin—everyone does. He frowns in thought, staring up at the ceiling for so long, Will thinks Leon forgets about his presence. He walks to the bed, climbing onto it to straddle Leon.

“You’re all alpha, Leon,” he says huskily. “That’s why I feel certain it wouldn’t make you feel any less of a man or wolf to take this.” Will squeezes his chunky alpha cock. Leon looks at it, mouth firming into a straight line.

“It would be so, so sexy,” Will says, writhing over Leon until he feels Leon’s cock poking at his back. “It turns me on like you wouldn’t believe just thinking about it.”

Leon’s considering it; Will knows he is.

“A big, bad alpha like you can take this.” He thrusts up, a pearl-white drop forming at the tip of his cock.

Leon licks his lips, staring.

***

Merlin makes inquires and hears that Kasha owns a cell phone. After washing off the sweat, dust, and maybe a little bit of spunk that Arthur missed with his tongue, he leaves his room to find her, glad to see that Will is no longer hanging out in the hallway. Damn Merlin’s inability to hide things! He’s sure Will saw in Merlin’s face that he and Arthur have done exactly what Mordred and Cenred were doing. The last thing Arthur would want is for that kind of gossip to go around. The fact that Arthur occasionally lets Merlin fuck him is one of the many reasons Merlin loves his alpha so much. He’s strong and competent, but he doesn’t mind allowing himself to be vulnerable with Merlin.

And watching Arthur twitch on Merlin’s cock is one of Merlin’s favorite things to do.

Merlin finds Kasha in the omega “den,” in heat, sharing a long green dildo with a girl named Ellen. They push back and forth, fucking each other on the toy. They’re both naked and sweating, breasts jiggling with the effort.

“Hey, Merlin,” Kasha says and then gasps at a particularly good thrust on Ellen’s part.

“Hi. Um, sorry to interrupt, but I hear you have a cell phone. May I borrow it for a minute?”

“S-sure. In my b-bag over there.”

Merlin goes to the corner where a large, red, vinyl bag sits on the floor. The phone is easily visibly at the top of the bags contents, and he picks it up.

“Thanks, Kasha,” he calls to her. “I’ll bring it right back.”

Arthur hadn’t seen Ansel watching the two of them in the library; after Arthur had swallowed Merlin’s load, Merlin had bent down to kiss him Arthur thoroughly, happy to see by the time he straightened up that Ansel had left. Now Merlin takes Chad’s number from his pocket and dials it.

“Hello?”

“Chad? This is Merlin.”

“Merlin! I’m so glad you called. I was just thinking about you; it was great seeing you again.”

“I feel the same. Can you come over again soon? I really want to talk to you one-on-one.”

“Yeah, sure I can. I can come in an hour, if that’s good for you.”

“Terrific. Thanks, Chad.”

Merlin needs to talk to Chad about the situation at the ranch, as not a lot had been said when Chad and Jude had been there, in spite of that being the reason for the visit. Merlin had been distracted by what Ansel had said, and, unable to concentrate, he’d remained fairly quiet while Arthur had questioned Jude more thoroughly.

In Merlin’s opinion, the faster he can get them all back home, the better. He misses his babies so much, as he knows the others do, and he feels responsible for them all being away from them. The burden of fixing things weighs heavily on his shoulders, and he must get to the bottom of this mystery. If Will is right, it may very well have nothing to do with Jude and everything to do with Chad. Also, Merlin wants to talk to Chad about Ansel. He’s uncomfortable being around the other alpha and confused by the pull he feels toward him, even though he knows the reason for it. He wants to confront Ansel about the way he looks at Merlin and about the fact that Ansel can just forget whatever it is he’s thinking, because Merlin belongs to Arthur forever and always; but he can’t do that alone, and he can’t do it with Arthur present—a fight would break out for certain. He needs Chad there with him.

Merlin returns Kasha’s phone and goes to find Arthur to let him know he’ll be busy with Chad for the evening.


	14. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur speaks with Balfour. Merlin talks to Chad. Leon is tired of listening to Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've followed me all this time through this series, you know that I write quickly and chapter by chapter. I do this because I enjoy it. It doesn't make for the most tightly written piece, so if you're a stickler for that kind of thing, you're in the wrong place. I never claimed to be writing the great American novel. I do try to tie up loose ends as best I can. Many times I go back and clean up chapters later, so some may prefer to wait a couple of days to avoid typos, etc. One of the reasons it's taken me so long to write part 3 is that I've worried about being able to bring this all together the way it should go. I would not be able to write part 3 if it weren't an ongoing project like this--I don't know how to properly explain that. It's just the way my mind works. Sometimes the smallest of your comments will remind me of this or that or spur me to write something I hadn't thought of before. I assume that most of you don't mind the way I operate, or you wouldn't still be here. I enjoy all of you, and thank you for continuing to read and support me!

Arthur watches Merlin walk down to the pond behind Wolf Haven, Chad at his side. He hopes Merlin can find the information they need—truly, this has been an odd several months. The entire thing with the “magicals” and the Anunnaki had Arthur’s head reeling even before they traveled to live amongst humans, and now being far from home with the lives of his mate and some of his best friends and pack members on the line, he’s started to feel as though he can never rest.

Arthur has never felt his responsibilities as harshly as he does now, and it’s beginning to affect him physically. The previous night, he couldn’t sleep—haunted by dreams of Cenred being shot by ranchers—and his eyes are shadowed because of it.

He turns and almost runs straight into Balfour. Arthur tries to contain the growl that comes to his throat. It seems all he does these days is growl, and this alpha isn’t doing anything at the moment to warrant it. Balfour nods to Arthur and passes to exit the double doors to the back porch, taking a seat on the low brick wall and lighting a cigarette. Arthur watches him a moment before deciding to join him. The evening air is cool and a chorus of bugs sings from the bushes.

“Smoke?” Balfour offers the cigarettes, and Arthur shakes his head. He watches the sun go down and thinks of home and his children, wondering what they’re doing and if Collum and Sigmund are taking good care of them. Arthur’s sure that they are, but he still wishes he were there to tuck them in and read them a story.

But Arthur reminds himself that he’s this far from home for a purpose, and it’s his children he’ll be saving if he can find what they’re looking for. At least they’re at Wolf Haven now—a safe place—and not trudging through the forest. Arthur can’t help but question every decision he’s made since the moment they left Crescent City—the point where things seemed to go steadily downhill. Did he make the wrong call in leaving the omegas alone while he, Leon, and Cenred went to hunt? If Cenred had been killed, Mordred, as Cenred’s true-mate, would have died, too. Could Arthur have lived with himself then? He thinks of the five pups that would have been left behind, parentless, and the devastation Merlin would have felt at losing one of the omegas in his care, as well as a very good friend.

If Will and Mordred hadn’t come back from their trek for water and instead been lost or attacked, could Arthur have lived with that? What if Merlin had been hurt by the bear, or what if they’d all been killed, leaving the Pendragon pack vulnerable to famine and the return of the Anunnaki?

Arthur shudders. These are not the obstacles he was trained by his father to face as pack leader.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

“What?” Arthur turns and looks at Balfour. He’d forgotten the man was there.

“It’s a human saying—it means I’m wondering what you’ve been sitting there thinking about with that hard expression on your face.”

Arthur shrugs. “Just…responsibilities.”

Balfour nods. “I remember those. Before, when I was with my pack, I was second in command.”

“How did you end up with Salinger?”

“Mine was a small pack, and because our few omegas died one by one, we dissolved. I didn’t have any family, as my omega mate died in childbirth, along with our pups. So, I took off alone, and eventually I ran into Salinger. It was either fight each other or help each other, so we chose the latter. It was easier to hunt as a pair, particularly in our weakened states. Eventually we ran into the four betas that were with us when we ran into you. They all came from a pack up North that dwindled down to near nothing after a flu epidemic.”

“There’ve been tough times for all wolves, it seems,” Arthur says, picking a blade of grass and absently twirling it between his fingers. “What are your plans for the future?”

Balfour takes another drag off his cigarette and blows the smoke upward. “I don’t know. I haven’t any ties, and it isn’t like I’m going to find a mate again, as omegas are so scarce…life seems pretty pointless.”

“You could come back with us.” Arthur isn’t sure why he says it, except that Balfour looks so despondent, and there isn’t really any reason he shouldn’t join the Pendragon pack. He also innately trusts Balfour, and having another strong alpha in Arthur’s pack wouldn’t be a bad thing. “I don’t know when we’ll be heading back, and it might be rough when we get there. We’re going through a rough patch right now with our crops dried up. But you’re welcome to join us if you’re willing to swear loyalty to me.”

Balfour smiles. “Thanks. I appreciate that. I’ll give it some thought. Do you have omegas in your pack?”

Arthur nods. “Quite a few, actually. Another pack joined with mine not too long ago when I killed its alpha.”

Balfour seems heartened by that news. He stubs out his cigarette and leans back to look up at the stars beginning to twinkle in the sky. Arthur relaxes and does the same.

***

Merlin skips a small rock across the pond, and Chad does the same, beating Merlin by a foot.

“You always were good at this.” Merlin grins at Chad.

“Yeah, and you always won when we raced.” His face brightens. “Do you want to shift and run? The full moon is coming soon, and I’m really feeling the pull.”

“Maybe later,” Merlin says, sitting down on the bank. “Do you like living in the city?”

“It’s all I’ve known for a long time.” Chad stares out across the pond. “I love Jude, and I’m content. But sometimes I remember our pack life in the woods and miss it.”

“Is there anything about those days that really stand out to you?” Merlin asks.

Chad sits, leaning back on his hands. “What do you mean? Just us playing with the other pups…those weekly meals in the glade. I remember us arguing once over a ball we found.”

Merlin laughs. “Yeah, and you ended up with it.”

Chad looks smug. “I could always talk you out of stuff.” He tilts his head, thinking. “Our families were close. I remember your mom and my dad were like best friends.”

Merlin nods. “That’s why they wanted your brother and me to marry.”

Chad turns to look at Merlin. “I’d forgotten that!”

“Ansel hasn’t forgotten,” Merlin says. “But I’m true-mated to Arthur, and that’s not going to change.”

“Of course not!”

“I think Ansel thinks otherwise. Chad, I need to talk to him, but I can’t by myself, and Arthur senses the former contract between us, even though he doesn’t know that’s what it is—I need to tell him, but I’d rather resolve this first. He’s jealous and likely to kill Ansel rather than allow me to speak to him. Would you go with me?”

Chad nods. “I was going to spend some time with him tomorrow…”

“I’d rather talk to him here, if you don’t mind. Tonight.”

“Well, sure. Let’s go find him, Merlin.”

***

Will reclines on the bed, head propped on pillows and cock still hard, watching as Leon dresses. His grouchy, unbendable Alpha refuses to let Will enter the holy sanctum of his arse hole, and now he’s refusing to even get Will off like a ponce.

“Stop giving me those puppy dog eyes, Will,” Leon says. “I’m not going to fuck you. Not after you’ve driven me crazy for the past couple of hours whining and begging for something that’s never going to happen.”

“I never thought I’d see it,” Will says, and purses his lips. He knows he’s pushing it…he _knows_! But he just can’t help it. Sometimes it’s as though his mouth is entirely separated from his body. “You’re scared.”

Leon’s upon him in less than a second, eyes boring into Will’s, body pinning Will to the mattress. Even though Will can’t help but be nervous with his alpha huffing breaths of ire in his face, he bucks up, trying to rub his swollen cock on Leon’s stomach.

Leon’s eyes change from angry to something else.

“You’re incorrigible.” He eases his hold. “And just for that, you can go without for a few days.”

Will whimpers. “Leon, no!”

“Leon, yes.” Leon sits up, taking his own, large cock in his hand, and begins to slowly wank it while Will watches hungrily. “You can just hold it in until I’m good and ready to fuck you. In fact…” Leon gets up, one hand still stroking his cock, and pulls something from his pants where they’re puddled on the floor. “I’ll put this on you to make sure of it.”

Will’s eyes widen at the sight of the cock ring. “Leon…”

Leon stops stropping himself long enough to fix the ring about his mate’s cock and balls. It’s a tight fit, even though it’s specially made for an omega’s girth.

“Now get dressed.”

Will obediently climbs off the bed and slowly puts his clothes on. All the while, Leon continues to stroke himself. The sight of Will standing before him,

his hard cock obscenely tenting his trousers, brings Leon to a fast climax. He jerks, shuddering, until the last bit of spunk leaves his cock head.

“You may lick me clean,” he tells Will with a grin.

Will greedily laps up the white alpha sperm, his cock throbbing within the confines of the ring.

“You’re evil,” he mutters, sucking the last bit of the white ambrosia from the dip of Leon’s navel. When he glances up, he thinks Leon looks rather proud. Will decides then and there that one of these days, Leon’s going to give up his arse-virginity to him. It’s just a matter of time.


	15. To Change the Tide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be strong--those who know me know I'm all about endgame Merthur, so don't worry. But I'm not promising there won't be angst along the way.

Merlin has Chad bring his brother to a secluded glade on the other side of the pond. As soon as the large alpha draws near, Merlin can feel himself weakening—submitting. An odd tingle, similar to the one he had when he awoke to find Ansel looming over him in the living room, runs up Merlin's spine as he straightens and determinedly focuses on what he came here to do.

“Merlin,” Ansel says, and Merlin can’t control the trembling of his limbs at the sound of the alpha’s voice. Merlin’s eyes remain focused on the ground until Chad directs Ansel to sit on a stump several feet away. With the alpha in this less-threatening position and without Arthur there distracting Merlin, Merlin is able to look up and really study Ansel for the first time.

He has the same olive coloring as Chad, and eyes of a distinctive amber hue. His hair is darker than Chad’s, and he wears a close beard and mustache. His lips are full and teeth straight and white except for a front canine that overlaps the tooth adjacent. With tremendous height and broad, powerful shoulders, Ansel is undoubtedly strong. He wears short pants, revealing long, lean, legs with a dusting of dark hair over them. Similar dark hair peeks out from the V of his navy blue shirt.

“Hello, Ansel,” Merlin says, mouth dry from nerves and the proximity of the virile alpha. “I guess you’re wondering why I asked Chad to bring you here.”

Ansel stretches his legs out and crosses them at the ankles. “I know why.”

Merlin’s back stiffens. “What do you mean?”

Ansel’s eyes look into Merlin’s, and Merlin shudders. “I know the pull you feel, because I’m feeling it, too.”

“I’m not attracted to you.”

“That’s a lie, and you know it.”

Chad stands off to the side, between Ansel and Merlin, watching the exchange like a tennis match, ready to intervene if he needs to. Merlin can only hope his presence will be enough to stop Ansel if he decides to have a go at Merlin.

But Ansel seems content to sit on the stump and talk. “There are many kinds of attraction, you know. What you’re feeling is the pull of the magic.”

Merlin visibly jolts. “What?”

“Magic, Merlin. You knew your mother had it, didn’t you?”

Merlin nods slowly, remembering the words of Nirol. _“You are from magical descent. It is the only reason I stand talking to you now.”_

“My father had it, too,” Ansel says. “Why else do you suppose they were so close? No one knew about it.”

“It sounds as though you did.” Merlin doesn't want to trust Ansel, but something tells him he should.

Ansel nods and, reaching up, takes something from beneath the neck of his shirt. Merlin’s shocked to see it’s a pendant with the same lustrous red stone as the one that belonged to Merlin’s mother.

“He gave me this a few months before he died,” Ansel says. Merlin notices Chad's shock; he obviously hadn't been privy to any of this.

“You and I are meant to be together; that’s why our parents did the ritual,” Ansel says.

"Arthur and I are meant to be together!" Merlin says furiously before Ansel's last words sink in. “What ritual?”

Merlin’s body screams to go to Arthur, _now_ , but he’s rooted to the spot as though every moment he’s lived so far has led up to this one.

“The magical ritual,” Ansel says. His eyes flick to his brother. “I think Da knew he was going to die. He foresaw it and knew there was nothing he could do about it. Your mother did, too, Merlin. That’s why they bonded us. I was old enough to understand a little, and I know it was the fault of the Pendragon pack.”

Merlin swallows. “The Prime Alphas killed our pack. They killed a lot of packs, looking for omegas.”

“On orders from _Uther Pendragon_ ,” Ansel says.

“No…” Merlin’s mind reels.

“Who do you think orchestrated the attack? Uther Pendragon was there—I saw him and one of his alpha's--Agravaine--just before Chad and I ran, and I remembered them from the Council of the Wolves the year before.”

“You’re making this up! There is no Council of the Wolves!” 

“There was, Merlin,” Chad says. “I read about it. Every five years all the wolves in the area would meet to discuss pack relations. It stopped at the death of Uther Pendragon.”

“Your precious Arthur’s father is the reason our pack was decimated,” Ansel says angrily. “He found allies wherever he could when it suited his purposes—he led the Prime Alphas to each pack they destroyed in search of omegas, and Uther and his cronies raped and pillaged for entertainment! That’s the type of pack you belong to now.”

“Arthur isn’t like his father,” Merlin says, backing away a step when Ansel gets to his feet.

“Maybe not, but the man’s blood runs through him, and the Pendragons are the reason for the suffering of our kind.”

“That’s not true! Arthur will find the answer, Ansel. He's meant to find the answer.”

Ansel takes a step forward, staring resolutely into Merlin’s eyes. “ _We_ are the answer, Merlin. Your children are dying because of what Uther Pendragon did when he was alive, isn’t that so?”

Merlin swallows, thinking of the Anunnaki and the blight they put upon the pack. He remembers Nirol’s words to Arthur: _“It has been said that the Pendragons must either rise or fall. Your father was a ruthless man.”_

“Arthur will prove us worthy,” Merlin says.

“No. The answer lies with us, Merlin. Da told me we have the magic within us--together. We are intended—not just from the verbal agreement our parents made, but from a magical ritual they performed bonding us together as mates. The existence of that bond was proved to me when my body recognized you even before I realized who you were. It took me a bit to figure it out, but that’s the pull I feel toward you---you may think you belong to Arthur, but you were mine first.”

The words rip through Merlin, tearing at his heart, even as he knows deep down they are true. He doesn’t want to believe it. Can’t believe it.

“Arthur is my true-mate,” Merlin says, voice a hoarse whisper barely heard over the night noises rising from the grass and trees around them.

“Yes, but I’m your intended,” Ansel says. “We were bonded for a reason, Merlin, and if Arthur stands in our way, your pack is doomed.”

Chad speaks for the first time. “Merlin…this is why you had to come here. Not to find Jude, or me, but to find Ansel.”

Merlin shakes his head. “No.”

“Think about it, Merlin,” Ansel says. “Whatever you’ve learned up to now points to what I’m telling you.” He sighs and runs a hand through his close-cropped hair. “Ever since Chad and I were separated by a rogue pack and I was left for dead, I knew there was something missing in my life. Something I had to do—I awoke to the voice of the Father Wolf, telling me to be strong, to move forward—that all would become plain to me later. I know that sounds crazy…” He studies Merlin’s face. “But, no. You’ve heard the Father wolf, too, haven’t you?

The memories of what Da told me had faded by then, but every time I held this pendant, I felt I had a purpose. I’ve been plagued by nightmares, so much so that I couldn’t do my work anymore at the beta center in California. Four months ago, something pulled me in this direction. It was you, Merlin, my intended mate.”

“We’re not intended!” Merlin yells, hands clenched at his sides. “This is not happening!” He reaches up and covers his ears like a child that doesn’t like what he’s hearing.

Merlin turns and walks purposely around the pond, toward Wolf Haven, heart pounding hard. He’d memorized the passage in Gaius’ book, and it comes back to him now.

_“And it shall be decided, the fate of the forest lands. Those left will not go unscathed, but a famine shall smite the wolf territories, bringing with it starvation for the multitude that has blessed the chosen pack. Unless the sins of the father can be rectified, many shall die, beginning with the weakest. If the sun Alpha is too proud, he will doom them all, but if he bends to the wisdom of his bonded, he may save them all. Only the Sharer of Dreams will have the answer, but only the Chosen Leader can rectify the loss and change the tide.”_

“Fuck!” Merlin mutters. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”


	16. Letting it Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets an idea to take Mordred down a peg or two, and Merlin comes clean with Arthur.

Will watches from the porch swing as Mordred stands by the fence, moon bright overhead, talking to Cenred. They’ve been mending the fence all day and have just finished up. Mordred laughs, and Cenred grabs him up in a kiss.  

Will shifts on his seat, pushing at the uncomfortable ring holding his cock and balls hostage. He’s hard as fuck and knows Leon’s not about to do anything about it anytime soon. Will finds it frankly unfair that he’s always being punished about something and Mordred never is. It seems like ever since Mordred fell into that hole that time back home and scared everyone to death, Cenred’s walked on egg shells around his omega. Mordred could probably get away with anything.

Will huffs, moving to a more comfortable position on the swing, but nothing will relieve his raging erection beneath the hated cock ring. His cock stands like a thick pole beneath his trousers, pointing skyward. His heat will be coming on soon, and Leon will probably fuck him into oblivion without allowing him to get off.

Cenred moves his fingers through Mordred’s dark hair, clutching at it as Mordred wraps his legs around Cenred’s hips, Cenred lifting Mordred to set him on the edge of the fence as they continue kissing hungrily. From this vantage point, Will can see Mordred humping into Cenred, and it makes Will’s dick even harder.

He thinks about how he and Mordred got lost in the woods on the way to Wolf Haven—it really was Mordred’s fault. He was the one who insisted they go a different way, when Will had plainly said he knew where they were. The creek had only been a little ways away from where they’d been standing before Mordred disappeared into the woods; Will is sure of it. They were lucky they didn’t get more lost than they did, and who was it that got them turned the right way? Will, of course. Will received a painful spanking for the whole escapade the following day, as soon as Leon could get them some privacy, and there had been nothing particularly sexy about it, either. Will’s arse had smarted for days, only to get another dozen swats the night he talked about it in the omega den.

He frowns, watching Mordred’s hands lower to clutch at Cenred’s arse. Cenred will probably let Mordred fuck him tonight. Gods, Will wants to do that to Leon so badly! Why won’t Leon give in?

As Cenred and Mordred finally pull their mouths off one another, Mordred hops off the fence and starts for the porch while Cenred turns to clear up the tools.

As Mordred passes Will, he stops to ogle the obscene bulge in Will’s pants. He smirks.

“Been a naughty boy again, I see, William.”

“Shut it, Mordy. You could use a good punishment yourself.”

“I don’t do the stupid things you do. Besides, Cenred thinks too much of me to turn me over his knee.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Will draws himself up in the swing.

Mordred shrugs. “Just that most of the time you’re more like a child that Leon has to manage than a mate.” He walks into the house, slamming the screen door behind him.

Will grits his teeth. _So, Cenred won’t punish Mordred. We’ll see about that._

***

Merlin is glad Ansel doesn’t try to follow him. His heart beats hard, mind in a fog from all that Ansel told him. He’s a little surprised that Arthur hasn’t appeared yet, although Merlin tried to keep his emotions in check. He hadn’t been actively blocking Arthur, though, and the fact that Arthur hasn’t shown up makes Merlin wonder if something about Ansel’s presence diluted their bond. The thought makes Merlin’s stomach churn—that Ansel could do anything to affect his and Arthur’s relationship in any way.

He needn’t have worried. A moment later, Arthur’s white wolf form breaks through the woods and races toward Merlin. Merlin automatically shifts, and the two roll together in the grass before Arthur mounts Merlin, teeth gripping his neck. He enters Merlin swiftly, and Merlin lets out a series of yips, pressing his arse back into Arthur’s thrusts, welcoming the bulge of the knot when it forms and presses into him. Arthur’s wolf cock thrusts inside Merlin, the knot pressing hard into Merlin’s prostate and making him howl as Arthur gnaws at Merlin’s mating bite. After Merlin’s first climax pours over him and fades, they shift back to human form, lying together in the grass waiting for Arthur’s knot to break.

“What happened?” Arthur asks, pressing a kiss to Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin’s clothes lie in tatters on the ground, and Arthur’s are missing altogether. “I went for a run, and I felt you.” In the distance, Merlin sees Balfour exit the forest and look at them curiously as he makes his way toward the house.

“You went running with Balfour?” Merlin asks.

“Don’t change the subject. I felt your anxiety, Merlin. What happened?”

“I can’t talk about it now, Arthur. Later, okay? When we’re alone.”

“It’s not like there are a lot of people around now,” Arthur says, but doesn’t push. His knot pulses and breaks, and Arthur almost forgets to pull out in order to spurt his cum all over Merlin’s back side. Even though Merlin isn’t in heat, Arthur doesn’t want to take a chance on getting him with pups while on this trip.

“Let’s go inside,” Arthur says, standing up. They walk naked through the yard and into the house, avoiding the voices they hear coming from the living room and climbing the stairs to their bedroom. They shower, and Arthur waits until they lie comfortably together in bed to ask again what had Merlin so upset earlier.

Merlin takes a deep breath, nerves making his stomach cramp.

“I’ve found something out, Arthur. You’re not going to like it. _I_ don’t like it.”

Arthur props himself up on his elbow and gazes down at Merlin.

“Whatever it is has you extremely uptight.” Arthur runs a finger over Merlin’s plump lower lip.

Merlin nods, kissing Arthur’s finger before swallowing hard. He determines to keep the threatening tears at bay, but the softness of Arthur’s tone breaks him.

“What is it, Merlin?”

As Merlin’s face crumples, Arthur gathers him up, rocking him. “Shhh, my little omega, everything will be all right.”

Merlin sobs, then, clutching at Arthur. He doesn’t want to say the words, but he has to tell Arthur the truth.

Taking a shaky breath, he pulls away and looks into Arthur’s eyes.

“I found out what we came for. It has to do with Ansel.”

Arthur’s eyes widen and his mouth thins out, but he doesn’t interrupt.

Merlin tells all, from beginning to end, not leaving anything out. While he does, Arthur’s jaw tightens and his nostrils flare, but he doesn’t say a word.

“I’m sorry, Arthur!” Merlin says on a sob when he’s finished.

“What are you sorry for? This isn’t your fault.” Arthur thumbs away a tear from Merlin’s cheek.

Merlin shakes his head.

“I don’t want this, Arthur! I don’t want Ansel. You and I…we’re not just true-mates! I’m in love with you!”

Arthur smiles down at Merlin before leaning in to press a tender kiss on his lips that Merlin, in his despair, frantically tries to deepen.

“Shh, shh, it’s going to be okay,” Arthur says, pulling back enough so he can see Merlin’s face.

“How can you say that? Arthur—I have some kind of magical bond with Ansel. I don’t even know what it means!”

“So, that only means there's something you and Ansel can do together that will save the pack. It doesn't have to mean you are to leave me and be with him for the rest of your life."

"That's they way Ansel made it sound."

Arthur chuckles humorlessly. "I'm sure he did." He's silent for a moment before he adds, "I’d like to get someone’s opinion on it first. Maybe Gaius’.”

Merlin sits up. “So we’re going home?”

“It seems the thing to do, don’t you think?”

Merlin nods and smiles. He’ll get to see his babies!

Arthur draws Merlin into the cradle of his arms. “Merlin, we’re true-mates, and nothing’s going to change that. Just because Ansel says your parents gave you some kind of magical bond doesn’t mean I’m turning you over to him. You didn’t think I would, did you?”

Merlin sniffles, burying his face in Arthur’s armpit, the clean smell of soap and Arthur soothing him.

“No, of course not. I was afraid you’d fight him and maybe that would cause our pack to die.”

“Merlin,” Arthur shakes his head, “you don’t give me enough credit. I’m glad you figured out Ansel is the key. Our pack is at stake—I’m only sorry it was my father who caused it all and that you’re upset, that’s all.” He trails his fingers down Merlin’s back. “You’re everything to me. I love you more than my life. You and our pups.”

“I know, Arthur,” Merlin says miserably, because he wonders if Arthur thinks this will be easier than it will be…or could Merlin really be making too much of it all? Had Ansel pressed the idea of their bond because he wants Merlin for himself? Or perhaps Ansel's just got the wrong idea of what their magical bond means?

Arthur presses a kiss to Merlin’s hair. “I suppose there’s nothing for it but to take Ansel home with us and see how we can unravel this mess—but I don’t want you upset about it. Leave it to me. Go to sleep, love. We’ll figure it all out in the morning.”

Merlin sighs into the soft skin of Arthur’s side, curling his arm around Arthur’s middle and squeezing while bringing his leg up to rest over Arthur’s, effectively trapping him beneath him. Arthur chuckles softly and kisses Merlin again, fingers coming up to make a pattern over Merlin’s arm.

He lies staring at the ceiling long after Merlin falls asleep.

 

 


	17. Painful Pleasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has gone too far, and Leon makes him pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for spanking, humiliation, orgasm denial, bondage, begging, prostate milking.

At breakfast the next morning, Will can’t help but notice Mordred isn’t sitting very comfortably, and he laughs right in Mordred’s face the first opportunity he gets.

“You!” Mordred hisses from across the table. “But…how did you know?”

“Are you kidding me? You two are fucking loud! Or should I say loud fucking…” Will collapses into a fit of laughter.

“Cenred thinks I told you something extremely personal between us, and you aren't going to get away with it! You're in trouble now, Will.”

“I thought you said Cenred wouldn’t punish you, Mordred,” Will taunts. “Yet, clearly from the way you’re sitting, he did.”

“I said I didn’t do juvenile things that make him want to punish me! And I _don’t_! You made that up!” Mordred points a finger in Will’s face then jerks it back when Will makes to bite it.

“What’s going on here?” Leon asks, bringing coffee over and setting a cup in front of Will.

“Thanks, baby,” Will says. He’s still light with laughter, in spite of Mordred’s threats, and his cock isn’t hard for once, which is a plus.

“Your omega is a nuisance that needs to be dealt with!” Mordred says, and Leon frowns.

“What are you two quarrelling about now?”

“Nothing.” Will sticks his tongue out at Mordred when Leon looks away.

“You both should be happy.” Leon takes a sip from his cup. “Arthur says we’re going home.”

“What?” Will and Mordred wear twin expressions of shock.

“Really?” A wide grin spreads over Mordred’s face, and Will can’t help grinning back.

“When?” Will asks.

“Tomorrow, I think. A few things have to be settled first. Several other wolves will be coming with us.”

“Like who?” Will turns to look fully at his mate.

“Balfour and Ansel—that’s all I know at the moment.”

“Ansel? The alpha that’s always drooling over Merlin? Is that a good idea?” Mordred asks.

“He’s a part of this whole thing—I don’t know the complete story yet, but it seems it wasn’t Jude but Ansel that Merlin needed to see.”

Will frowns. “That can’t be good.”

“You don’t know that, Will.” Leon’s voice is stern. “Don’t go causing trouble.”

“Who, me?” Will tries to look innocent, and Mordred snorts.

“Trouble is his middle name.”

Cenred barks from across the room, and Mordred gets up and goes to him.

Will searches out Merlin and finds him on the porch talking to Chad, who came to have breakfast with Merlin.

“What’s this I hear?” Will sits down on the swing. “We’re going home?” He notices Arthur's not too far away, out on the patio talking with Balfour and a couple of betas.

Merlin nods, smiling. “It’s true. I was just talking to Chad about coming with us.”

“I’m really tempted,” Chad says. “If I can convince Jude, I’m all for it.”

“Not to be rude or anything,” Will says, “but is it a good idea for us to bring more wolves into the pack when there’s such a scarcity of food?”

“I hope we’ll find the answer to that problem when we get home,” Merlin says.

“Yeah, I heard that Ansel is somehow the key?” Will raises a brow.

Merlin nods again but doesn’t elaborate.

“William!” Leon’s angry bark seems to shake the very foundations of the porch, and Will jumps up, heading inside to his alpha.

“You bellowed?”

“Upstairs.”

“But…”

“Now!”

Will scrambles up the stairs, Leon following. As soon as the door to their bedroom closes behind them, Leon sits in the straight-back chair. “Pull down your pants and get over my knees.”

“What did I do?” Will asks, fingers trembling as he undoes the ties to his cotton slacks.

“Cenred tells me you caused trouble between him and his omega. Are you denying it?” Leon looks Will straight in the eye.

“No.” Will lowers his head and bends himself over Leon’s upper legs, arse in the air and head almost to the floor.

“Count them,” Leon orders and brings the flat of his palm down solidly on Will’s upturned buttocks.

Slap!

“One,” Will gasps.

Slap!

“Two.”

Slap!

“Th-three.”

Slap!

Will’s arse is already burning. Tears drip from his eyes as he continues counting. His cock rubs against Leon’s legs with every hit, making Will’s cock hard, the ring squeezing it so he can’t get off.

Slap!

“Eleven…ah!”

Slap!

It goes on and on until Leon gets to twenty-five, and he then lets Will stand up.

“Get in the corner and bend over, nose to the wall.”

Will kicks off the pants pooled around his ankles and obeys his alpha.

“Shirt up!”

Will flips up his shirt tail so that his red bum is exposed to the room.

“Spread your legs; I want to see your balls,” Leon barks, and Will sucks in a breath as he moves his feet apart, trying not to whimper. His cock bounces, and he squirms.

“If you don’t be still, I’m going to give you twenty more smacks!”

Will makes himself stop moving. He feels Leon behind him. Suddenly Leon takes Will’s arms up from where they dangle at his sides and, placing his wrists together on his back, ties them with some fabric.

“When are you ever going to learn?” Leon asks. “Why do you insist on getting into mischief?”

Will feels Leon’s cock hot against his skin just before the head pushes inside him.

“Gahhh…oh, fuck, Leon!”

“That’s the idea.” Leon begins thrusting hard right off the bat. “Keep your nose to the wall! I’m going to fuck you good and hard.” He continues at a brutal pace, every thrust brushing Will’s prostate until he’s a shivering mess, barely able to keep his nose to the wall. Will wants to come…needs to come…but he can’t with the cock ring constricting him.

“Please, Leon…pleasepleaseplease…let me come, pleeeeasse…”

“Stop babbling. This is a punishment, and you know it. No coming for you.”

Leon fucks Will until Will’s legs ache from keeping the bent posture. When Leon finally spills, he keeps thrusting through the spunk, loud squelching sounds filling the room. Then he pulls out, and Will can feel it dripping from his arse down his legs.

“Stay as you are, nose to the wall,” Leon says, and Will hears him move away and open the door.

“Leon…”

“I’m bringing Cenred and Mordred in,” Leon tells Will. “You played a cruel joke on Mordred, making him take fifteen whacks from his alpha for something he didn’t do.” The door shuts, and Will can sense the presence of Mordred and Cenred standing just behind where Will’s bare, red arse juts out, dripping spunk.

“Fifteen!” Will sputters, unable to help his indignation. “You’ve never given _me_ less than twenty! Mordred, you’re such a spoiled brat.”

“Shut it, Will,” Leon orders, giving Will's arse a smack so hard it brings tears to Will's eyes. “You eavesdropped on them, so I let them listen while I spanked and fucked you.”

Will’s face grows hot with humiliation. He bets Mordred enjoyed that, the wanker.

“You sure cry a lot when you get spanked,” Mordred says smugly, and Will growls.

“Keep that nose to the wall!” Leon whacks Will on the arse yet again, and Will squeals, craning his neck to obey.

“Now, Will, since you did Mordred such a wrong, I’m going to allow his alpha his turn with a paddle to your red bum,” Leon says.

“What?” Will starts to stand, but Leon forces him back down, hand to Will's neck. With the other hand, he adjusts Will's shirt so that it's rucked up high, his tied hands holding it in place.

“Believe me, this time you will learn your lesson.” Leon keeps his hand there, forcing Will to remain still and in place.

Will’s legs shake as he struggles to maintain the position. His neck hurts, and his sore arse tenses at the threat of more of a beating. He hears Cenred position himself behind him and his stomach flutters in anticipation of the first strike. Leon's hand is warm and firm on Will's neck, and a breeze blows from the open window, wafting over Will's bare, dripping arse and reminding him how vulnerable he must look.

"Knees straight!" Leon barks, and when Will complies, more cum oozes from his pucker.

“H-how many?” Will asks shakily.

“Ten,” Leon says, and then the paddle whooshes through the air, hitting Will’s smarting red arse so hard his feet almost leave the ground. He yells with pain and indignation.

“Count, Will,” Leon says.

“O-one…”

Whoosh!

“T-two…” Fuck his traitorous cock—it’s still rock hard and bouncing each time the paddle hits him.

Whoosh!

“Three.”

By the time it’s over, Will’s openly sobbing, even his cock disinterested and drawn into itself. To his dismay, Leon offers the paddle to Mordred, but thankfully Mordred declines the offer. He hears the door shut, and then Leon’s pulling Will up and into his arms, kissing his wet face.

“I want you to know I didn’t enjoy that,” Leon says, nuzzling Will’s neck and licking his mating mark. “Not any of it, and especially not letting another alpha paddle you. Even if you did look hot as hell with your arse sticking out and my spunk dripping out of it.”

Will sniffles, mortified but enjoying the attention.

“But Will, you’ve got to stop this nonsense. You’re going to cause some real trouble one day if you don’t. Believe me, if I have to punish you again, it’s only going to get worse. Understand?”

Will nods miserably into Leon’s shoulder.

“Come on, then. I’ll put some salve on your bum.”

Will leans over the bed, sighing when Leon spreads the cool ointment over his skin with gentle fingers. When he eventually lets one slip into Will’s hole, Will moans, cock taking an interest. Leon strokes Will’s prostate, finger moving in and out, spreading the ointment and turning Will's legs to jelly. Will arches on the bed, wanting more, his cock hard and throbbing in the ring. Leon speeds his movements until Will’s squirming and moaning on the bed. When Leon unexpectedly pulls the device off Will’s cock, Will comes with a shout, splattering spunk all over the sheets.

“Oh, gods, thank you!” Will pants into the mattress.

“My pleasure.” Leon kisses the top of Will’s head and continues milking until ever last drop has been spent.

 


	18. Altercation Avoided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ansel can't hold his thoughts in any longer.  
> Merlin seeks help from old friends.

Arthur puts off the trip home for two more days so that Jude and Chad can pack up their lives and join the pack, and then another day due to dangerous storms. The group leaving Wolf Haven on a sunny morning in late summer is quite a bit larger than the group that arrived there only a couple of weeks prior, with Jude, Chad, Ansel, Balfour, and three of the betas that had been with Balfour in the woods. At the last minute, Kasha asks if she can go, too, and Merlin happily welcomes another omega into the fold.

Just a few days after they begin the trek, Will goes into heat, stopping their progress. Leon takes him into the woods to rut, and Arthur surveys the group with a sigh.

“Looks like we’ll have to make camp for a while.”

Both Balfour and Ansel lift their noses to the air, sniffing the strong heat scent wafting from the woods, and their cocks harden to long, stiff points jutting toward the sky.

“Take care of those,” Arthur says. “You’re unmated, and we must protect our omegas.”

“Kasha’s not mated,” Balfour points out, eying the girl, who cowers by Merlin.

“Surely you’d rather wait until we get to the pack to mate so you’ll have your choice of omegas,” Arthur says, face hardening. “Because you will not mate with Kasha without biting her—I want to be clear on that.”

Balfour gives a sniff nod and walks into the woods to take care of his problem. Arthur looks to Ansel, whose eyes move toward Merlin.

Arthur growls, fierce and protective.

“Surely you can see that you must relinquish Merlin to me!” Ansel suddenly bursts out. “If we rut, it may spark the magic needed…”

The look on Arthur’s face is beyond anger, but he manages to control himself, although the tendons in Arthur’s neck flex as a fine tremor runs through him..

“I see no such thing. Merlin and I are true-mates with eight pups. Nothing and no one will come between us.” Testosterone, strong and thick, hovers in the air.

Kasha puts a hand on Merlin’s arm, squeezing it in nervous support. With colossal effort, Mordred leaves his alpha’s side and goes to Merlin.

“Even to save those pups and the lives of your entire pack?” Ansel asks. “Or are you more like your father than Merlin wants to admit?”

Arthur’s cheeks puff out and he blows a burst of air through his nose, lips pressed tightly together.

Sensing his mate is about to lose it, Merlin hurries to Arthur’s side in supplication. Distracted by the long, pale expanse of his mate’s neck with the tantalizing mating bite only inches away, Arthur immediately leans in, licking at it with the flat of his tongue, making Merlin shudder and whine. Arthur wraps himself around Merlin, lost in his scent, body relaxing as he nibbles at the soft skin and supple tendons of Merlin’s neck. Merlin arches, cock pounding in the confines of his loose pants, and gives a needy whine.

When Arthur’s teeth sink in, re-opening the mating mark, Merlin comes with a cry, body jerking frantically within Arthur’s arms.

Ansel stares. “What was that?” he murmurs in awe.

“It happens,” Mordred says. “With true-mates.” He gives Ansel a smug look.

Chad puts a hand on his brother’s arm, silently telling him to cool it, but Ansel pulls away.

“You’ll see; Merlin and I were bonded for a reason, and something will have to be done about it in order to save us all.”

Ansel walks off in the direction that Balfour disappeared into the woods.

Later, when they’ve eaten the deer Cenred killed and the camp fire dies down, shooting only an occasional spark into the darkness, Merlin lies looking at the wide expanse of sky. Millions of stars dot the blackness, and the moon is almost to its fullest point. They will have to run soon, Merlin knows. Perhaps as soon as the next nightfall. Merlin turns his head and looks at Arthur sleeping beside him, heart blooming with love and pride for his alpha. He knows Arthur exhibited extreme control with Ansel. Merlin’s body still zings with fro the posturing of his mate and the re-opening of his mating bite, every fiber pulsing in response to his alpha’s supreme virility. Eyes roaming down Arthur’s fit form, Merlin would very much like to mount his cock right there, but he refrains.

There’s something he needs to do.

When he feels certain everyone’s asleep, Merlin crawls away from the camp site, only getting to his feet when he’s well away from the others. As quietly as he can, he walks until he finds a clearing and crouches down, scrutinizing the grass.

“Are you here?” he whispers, looking for the tiny creatures. He waits a long time—so long, he thinks they won’t come, but gradually a few appear from under a rotting log, their skin sparkling in the moonlight.

“What’s happening?” Merlin asks them. “What am I to do?”

The magicals look at him with their sad eyes and the message comes loud and clear to Merlin’s ears. _Your instincts are good. You must save the wolves._

“Merlin?”

Merlin jumps, falling back onto his arse. He looks up to see Chad standing a few feet away.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” Merlin gets to his feet and dusts himself off.

“You’re not…I remember when you were little and thought you could talk to faeries.”

Merlin gives a shaky laugh. “You made fun of me, if I remember correctly.”

“We were kids,” Chad says. “If you told me something like that now, I’d believe you.”

“You would?”

Chad nods, and Merlin swallows. “Well, I’m…I just came out here to piss.” He starts back for camp, and Chad grabs his arm.

“I don’t really understand this thing with Ansel, Merlin, but…I’ll help you if I can.”

“Thanks.” Merlin tries to smile.

Back at the camp, Merlin snuggles into Arthur, who automatically wraps an arm around him in his sleep. Merlin lies awake. He hears Jude mumble a question and Chad softly answer. A moment later, soft expletives and a sigh make Merlin look over the last dying embers of the fire to see Jude’s shadow looming over Chad’s, thrusting rhythmically.

A moan from Will a few feet away, and Leon rolls onto him, instinctively finding his dripping hole in the darkness and pushing in. The area fills with the scent of Will’s heat, and Merlin raises his head to check on Kasha. He’s glad to see that she’s safe in a nest of pine needles with Mordred and Cenred. Merlin turns to Arthur’s sleeping form, pressing a kiss over his alpha’s heart.

It’s a long time before Merlin drifts off to sleep.


	19. Touch Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cenred and Mordred find some privacy, Will's heat flares up again, and Ansel finds a moment to speak with Merlin alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay; things have been hectic.

“Where are we going?” Mordred asks as Cenred leads him through the forest.

“Almost there.” They skirt a tangle of brush. On the other side is a swimming hole, gleaming in the morning sunlight.

Mordred grins. “Perfect for a hot afternoon.”

He moves forward, stripping off the light clothing he wears and tossing it in a haphazard pile. The water is cold and feels wonderful as Mordred sinks down into it, his alpha close behind.

“Nice to have some time alone,” Cenred says after he submerges and comes back up, dark hair slicked back over his head like a seal and close beard gleaming with droplets.

“Just think,” Mordred says, “soon we’ll be back home with the kids! I really miss them.”

“So do I. Do you think this Ansel fellow really holds the key to stopping the blight on our land?” Cenred moves closer to Mordred and wraps him in his arms. "it seems a little weird. I mean, what's he going to do?"

“I don't know. I hope so.” Mordred sighs and presses his mouth to Cenred’s, tongue seeking and finding the warmth of his mate’s.

After a few moments, Cenred moves his lips to Mordred’s neck and speaks against it between nibbles.

“I’m sorry I punished you for something you didn’t do.”

Mordred runs his hands over Cenred’s broad, wet back. This is not the first time Cenred’s apologized, and Mordred knows he feels guilty. “You couldn’t know that Will had heard us.”

“He’s a terrible troublemaker," Cenred says with a growl. "Leon has promised to take care of him.”

“I think the last punishment did wonders—the fact that we were present, that is. Will enjoys his spankings from Leon far too much, but the humiliation part did the trick. Also, your spanking seemed quite effective.”

Cenred chuckles. “My arm hurt afterward. You should have taken a turn.”

Mordred sighs. “I couldn’t do it. Twat though he is, Will’s my friend.” He lifts his legs and encircles them around Cenred’s lean waist. Cenred’s hard cock presses between Mordred’s arse cheeks, and it only takes a slight movement to bring it home.

“Uhhnnngggh…” Mordred tilts his head back, body alive with sensation as Cenred pins Mordred against a rock and thrusts.

“I love it when you get all inarticulate,” Cendred says and mouths at Mordred’s open jaw.

“Gods…your cock…uhn….uh!”

Cenred pushes Mordred farther back on the rock and lifts his ankles to rest on Cenred’s shoulders. The penetration is deep this way, and Mordred’s eyes roll back in his head as Cenred continues to thrust.

“Oh! Uh…uh…ungh! Fuck, Cenred! Fuck me…”

Cenred growls as his knot grows, and he pushes it past Mordred’s sensitive rim, sending Mordred into a convulsive climax.

“Shit!” Mordred writhes. “Oh, fuck!”

Cenred pulls Mordred’s mouth in for a kiss as Mordred's cock spurts between them.

“I love these lips,” Cenred says as he nibbles and licks. When Cenred’s knot finally breaks, they both come together, Cenred roaring his completion so loudly it can be heard from miles around, and Mordred whimpering as his cock gives another spurt of cum.

Back at camp, Merlin raises his head at the shout.

“Sounds like Cenred,” he says to Will.

Will nods. “He and Mordred went off somewhere. Three guesses what they’re doing.” At the thought of Cenred, Will’s bum aches a little. The man has an iron palm.

Arthur’s gone off to hunt; and Chad, Jude, and Kasha have wandered away to pick berries. Leon sits nearby, skinning a rabbit. Balfour and the three betas play some sort of game with pebbles and twigs, and Ansel leans against a tree, sulky eyes trained on Merlin.

“Leon,” Will suddenly straightens, a wave of heat washing over him. He’d been fine all day and thought it was finally over, but now his hole flutters in need, leaking slick oestrum between his arse cheeks. Leon turns, eyes coming alight with need, and he tackles Will to the ground, ripping off the soft cotton pants that bar him from his goal.

Merlin moves to sit against a tree, and the next thing he knows, Ansel is beside him. Merlin can’t help but cower with the large alpha sitting so close. A tremor runs through Merlin’s body and he looks to Leon, but Leon is clearly not thinking straight as he pounds into Will’s upturned arse.

“Please…go away,” Merlin murmurs to Ansel. “You’re making me uncomfortable.”

“I only want to talk, Merlin.” Ansel lifts his nose and takes a long sniff of Merlin’s scent.

“Please---if Arthur comes back, he’ll go ballistic. I don’t want a fight. He’ll kill you.”

Ansel chuckles. “You seem awfully sure I’ll be the one to lose.”

“Either way, it’ll be bad,” Merlin says. “If Arthur dies, I’d never be happy with you, Ansel. And I can’t have him killing you when you might be the answer to our troubles.”

“So you admit I’m the answer.”

“You wouldn’t be with us otherwise!” Merlin’s eyes flash, and a spark ignites between them, chasing through Merlin’s nerve endings. The intensity of it frightens Merlin, and he scuttles sideways to get away from Ansel.

“Merlin, if Uther Pendragon hadn’t brought death to our pack, you and I would be mated by now. Can’t you feel it?” Ansel holds out his hand. “Touch me, Merlin.”

“No!”

“Come on, just take my hand. I’ve wanted to touch you since I saw you at Wolf Haven.”

Merlin glances again to where Leon’s knotting Will, body treacherously wanting to do what Ansel asks. What will happen if he does? Will Ansel grab him? Bite him? Merlin shakes his head, curling in on himself and determinedly blocking his bond with Arthur, afraid of what Arthur might do if he sees Ansel pressuring Merlin this way.

“What are you so worried about, Merlin?” Ansel asks, hand still outstretched. “Or do I already know? You can’t keep fighting it, Merlin. Especially when we know it’s inevitable we’ll get together. Why don’t we make it easier on everyone and just do it now?” He looks into Merlin’s eyes, and Merlin feels trapped in the unwavering gaze. Ansel leans forward, closer to Merlin, and Merlin’s heart hammers against his ribcage. Will’s moaning and clawing at the ground a few feet away, Leon’s face buried in his neck. Balfour and the other men remain deep in their game, not paying any attention to what’s going on around them.

“I promise I won’t do anything,” Ansel finally says. “Just take my hand. That’s all I ask.”

Tentatively, Merlin reaches out.

 

 


	20. Electric Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The touch is electric and shows Merlin confusing images.

The moment Merlin’s fingers touch Ansel’s, a burst of energy surges through him, almost knocking him over. Scenes speed through his mind so fast he can barely interpret them—his old pack and his mother smiling down at him; his father stern and arguing; a man’s voice that Merlin doesn’t recognize but that’s somehow familiar, tone arrogant from the next room; Nirol of the Anunnaki with paper-white skin and egg-white eyes—they go on and on, playing like a film in Merlin’s head as a current continues to flow from Merlin’s fingers into Ansel and back again.

Somewhere in the background of all this, Merlin hears Leon’s voice, rising in alarm.

“What the fuck? Merlin?”

Leon grabs Merlin’s arm and is instantly catapulted into a tree several yards away by a stream of electrical magic. The connection breaks, and Merlin blinks his eyes. Ansel’s light hair sticks up on his head as though electrified and his hazel eyes are unfocused as he sits, slumped, broad shoulders trembling. Merlin breathes hard, as though he’s been running, as he tries to make sense out of what just happened.

A sudden streak of white flies out of the dense forest, and Arthur is upon Merlin, shifting and grabbing Merlin ‘s shoulders in shaking hands.

“Are you all right?” Arthur’s eyes are wild. “I thought…I felt…” He pulls Merlin into a rough embrace, burying his face in Merlin’s hair. Merlin can feel his own heartbeat pounding against Arthur’s chest, where an answering staccato slams back at him.

“Merlin, what happened?” Arthur chokes out, pulling back to look Merlin over as though he expects to see wounds. “I’ve never felt anything like that through our bond before.”

Peripherally, Merlin sees Leon move to stiffly stand behind Arthur, undoubtedly gearing himself up for his Alpha’s rage at having let Merlin out of his sight. Will moves behind him, a look of stark fear on his face that squeezes at Merlin’s stomach.

“I’m fine, Arthur,” Merlin says softly, bringing a hand up to rub his thumb over Arthur’s cheek. “Really. It’s okay.”

“But…” Arthur sniffs at Merlin’s hand, then turns around. Ansel has moved away, but Merlin feels Arthur tense. A growl, low and ominous, rolls from Arthur’s belly, and before Merlin can stop him, Arthur becomes his white wolf again and lunges at Ansel, who barely manages to shift himself before Arthur’s upon him in a snarling rage.

“Arthur, no!” Merlin gets to his feet as the two wolves roll in a gnashing, growling mix of fur and teeth. Merlin changes to wolf form and jumps into the fray, nipping at Ansel’s heels and trying to insert himself between the two enraged alphas.

It takes Balfour, Leon, and all three omegas to bring the two apart, and when they are all men again, Merlin lies panting on the ground. Balfour escorts Ansel into the forest with Arthur screaming obscenities and threats at Ansel’s back. Arthur then turns and drags Merlin to his feet. He pulls Merlin into the forest in the opposite direction, Merlin slipping on pine needles and tripping over sticks and stones along the way, Arthur never slowing his steps.

They pass Cenred and Mordred coming back from the water hole, and Cenred bites down on the question forming on his lips when he sees the fire in Arthur’s eyes, stepping back to let his enraged Alpha pass.

“Arthur, you’re bleeding,” Merlin pants when they finally reach the water and Arthur turns to look at him. Merlin raises his hand and touches Arthur’s shoulder where blood trickles from a wound at the base of his neck. Arthur grabs the hand, sniffing at Merlin’s fingers before plunging them into his mouth, tongue running over and around them, soaking them with saliva. He then licks at Merlin’s palm before sucking on the softness of his inner wrist while Merlin tries to remain standing on legs that shake uncontrollably.

“Leon will pay for this,” Arthur finally bites out before grasping Merlin’s loose slacks and ripping them off him. Merlin just has time to make a small jump, legs wrapping around Arthur’s waist, before Arthur takes him to the ground, kicking his own pants off so he can rub his cock on Merlin’s belly.

“What did he do to you?” Arthur breathes over Merlin’s neck, hips thrusting in order to rub his scent more thoroughly over Merlin’s belly.

“Noth—nothing, Arthur, really. We only touched…”

Arthur snarls and clamps down on Merlin’s ear with his teeth, making Merlin cry out. Arthur apologetically licks the lobe.

“Mine…” Arthur pants. “Why, Merlin?” His voice is almost a sob. “You’re mine.”

“Yes, yes, Arthur, yes…yours…only, I had to do it. There’s something in our magic combined---” he breaks off when he feels warm piss flooding over him, its aroma mingling with Arthur’s unique scent and making Merlin submit. Merlin turns his head so Arthur can ravage his mating bite, legs splayed and pelvis automatically pushing upward. Arthur’s cock easily finds entrance, plunging in, rocking Merlin’s body.

“Nobody touches you but me…”Arthur snarls, and Merlin can’t argue. He greedily meets each powerful thrust, Arthur wrapping his hand around Merlin’s thick cock, stripping it as he fucks Merlin hard.

“You’re mine, Merlin, mine. How many times do I have to say it? I don’t care what Ansel is, you are and always will be mine; do you hear me?”

Merlin nods dumbly, lost in the dark pools of Arthur’s eyes. His rim pulses with every entrance and withdrawal of Arthur’s rigid cock, the swollen bundle of nerves getting a battering as Arthur curls Merlin into a ball, bulging knot forming and nudging at Merlin’s sensitive rim. Merlin comes apart, blackness filling his vision for a long moment before he comes to himself again to find Arthur forcing his knot in...

“Arthur…” Merlin mewls, losing his mind at the renewed sensations building, slowly spiraling upward. Arthur’s face remains sweaty and intense above Merlin’s, eyes communicating what his mouth so recently uttered… _mine, mine, mine…_ Merlin succumbs to the familiar feeling of being owned, comforted by the rightness of it.

An hour later, Merlin’s covered in Arthur’s ejaculate. It drips from his hair into his eyes and puddles on his belly; it cakes under his arms and in the crack of his arse; it drips out of his hole and his mouth; it covers his ears, neck, and shoulders; it glistens on his nipples in the midday sun.

Arthur lies sprawled beside Merlin, one leg draped over his piss-covered legs, breathing hard, heartbeat pounding against Merlin’s arm. When they start to attract flies, Arthur helps Merlin to stand and the sink into the cool, sparkling water of the pool. Merlin gratefully submerges, running his hands through the disgusting mess of his hair before rising out of the water to find Arthur swimming laps. Merlin sighs at the amount of energy Arthur has in the wake of his rage. He never wanted to hurt Arthur by touching Ansel, but it had been inevitable—the pull could not be denied. And what had Merlin seen in those seconds of electric power? He hasn’t had time to process any of it.

Merlin reaches behind himself and rubs at his ravaged hole with a finger. Arthur took him multiple times in multiple positions, laying his claim again and again as though Merlin could ever forget it. Somehow, he must convince his mate that touching Ansel is not a threat, for now that Merlin has experienced what happens, he knows he must do it again until the meaning is clear.

He watches Arthur emerge from the pool, magnificent body dripping as he climbs onto a rock, hair slicked back and cock at half-mast, before diving into the water again and swimming another three laps before coming to Merlin. Merlin immediately wraps his arms around his alpha and kisses him, hard and unrelenting.

“I love you, Arthur,” he murmurs into the kiss. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Arthur lets out a breath. “I was never worried, _Mer_ lin,” he says, and Merlin smiles at the arrogance before kissing Arthur again.

 

 


	21. A Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack makes a stop in a city to rest.

In spite of his earlier words, it is painfully obvious to everyone that Arthur is on high alert where his omega is concerned. Merlin smells so heavily of Arthur’s scent, the rest of the pack avoids him for days. He stays exclusively with Arthur, even hunting with him, and Arthur continues to mark him with urine or drippings from his cock every time Arthur feels the slightest bit threatened by Ansel or anyone else.

Merlin can’t blame his mate for feeling the way he does, so he doesn’t complain, but after the experience he had while touching Ansel, he no longer fears what is between them. It’s obvious to Merlin now that the magic that both he and Ansel have is the real key to saving the pack, and that Arthur has nothing to fear; although Merlin isn’t sure that Ansel came to the same realization, and it seems unlikely he’ll be enlightened any time soon.

When the group nears a city and Arthur announces that they’ll stay in a hotel for a night in order to bathe properly and get better rest, Merlin is relieved to stop traveling for a while and to have a room alone with Arthur.

They have some money saved from their jobs in Crescent City, but not enough to get rooms for everyone. The unmated men can’t possibly share with Kasha, as Arthur is adamant that no one use her for his sexual gratification without mating her, so Kasha shares with Will and Leon, Chad and Jude double with Mordred and Cenred, and Ansel stays with two of the beta men while Balfour stays with the other.

As pack leader, Arthur takes in stride his right to having his mate to himself, and no one is about to complain, considering Arthur’s mood of late. Leon in particular has avoided incurring Arthur’s displeasure; it’s been clear that whatever punishment Arthur decides to mete out to Leon for his lapse in vigilance will have to wait until they are safely at home and Arthur isn’t reliant on Leon as a strong alpha presence during the perilous days of travel.

Merlin wants to do everything he can to reassure Arthur, so he dotes on his alpha, washing him in the hotel room’s large tub, giving him a long massage, and generally waiting on him hand and foot. Gradually, Merlin’s attention pays off as Arthur begins to relax.

“Arthur,” Merlin says, thinking it safe to broach the topic hanging between them. Arthur lies on his stomach, sated from the back rub. He grunts in reply, and Merlin continues, “I want to talk to you about what I experienced before…with Ansel.”

The muscles in Arthur’s back tense, but he says nothing, and Merlin lets out a long breath of relief that he isn’t going to be sprayed with urine; at least, not yet.

Merlin licks his lips. “It…it was a rush of memories, or something. Like a film playing on fast-forward in my mind. I mean, I guess they were all memories. My mother and father…people talking. Nirol.”

Arthur turns his head to Merlin and opens his eyes, navy in the dim light. “And? Did you make sense out of it?”

Merlin shakes his head. “No. Not really. And I don’t know if Ansel experienced the same thing. I—well, obviously I haven’t spoken to him.”

Arthur growls and moves to climb over Merlin, spreading his knees to straddle him and rubbing their cocks together.

“And you won’t. I’ll speak to him myself.”

“Arthur…please don’t fight with him.”

“I said I’d speak with him, Merlin,” Arthur says, moving his hips in a circular motion that rapidly makes Merlin hard.

Merlin lifts his hands from the bed and encircles Arthur’s waist, pulling him closer. “Okay.” He kisses Arthur, and Arthur opens his mouth to explore Merlin’s as Merlin arches up, pressing into Arthur’s groin to heighten the friction. It isn’t long before they’re both coming, gasping into each other’s mouths.

“Let’s get dressed and go down to the bar,” Arthur says when he’s recovered. He stretches leisurely, and Merlin can’t help but admire the lean lines of his body.

“I don’t know,” he says, a slow smile creeping over his face, “I wouldn’t be opposed to a round two.”

It’s sometime later that they take the elevator downstairs. They find the others at a table, drinking and talking. Mordred quickly switches seats, putting himself between Arthur and Ansel, and Merlin half expects Arthur to pull him onto his lap rather than let him take a seat, but the evening’s activities seem to have worked to reassure Arthur enough that he's eased up a bit. Merlin sits beside him, leaning into him, chin on his shoulder.

Cenred brings a round of drinks, quickly noting the new seating arrangement that has placed him on the other side of Merlin. Merlin thinks Cenred isn’t too happy having his mate beside the unmated Ansel, but he merely grunts and goes back to the bar to fetch Merlin and Arthur a drink.

Balfour talks to Matthew, the friendliest of the three betas, in Merlin’s opinion. He has an open-face and boyish grin that immediately puts people at ease, and Merlin’s had a few talks with him during their travel, all before Arthur separated Merlin from everyone else, of course. Merlin hopes things will get back to normal when they resume their trip, although he knows it’s unlikely he’ll be anywhere near Ansel in the near future.

Arthur completely ignores Ansel, and Merlin’s relieved to find that Ansel doesn’t stoke the fire by staring Merlin’s way. Will chatters  from across the table about the weird humans.

“They smell funny,” Will says, wrinkling his nose. “How did you manage to live among them for so long, Merlin?”

“I got used to it,” Merlin says, and takes a sip of the beer Cenred hands him. “But I kept to myself as much as possible.”

Chad leans forward to be heard over the din of the crowded room. “Jude and I always tried to live close to city wolves, but we had to work with humans, of course.” He looks to his brother. “You worked with betas, right Ansel?”

Ansel nods. “City wolves are not like those raised in packs, though.”

“True,” Jude says. “Even though I’ve now lived among city wolves longer than I did in a pack, I still remember what it was like. I’m glad to have this opportunity to go back to it.” He nods at Arthur in appreciation, and Arthur smiles.

“Merlin and I are glad to have you,” he says. “Merlin has told me how kind you were to him when he was at the orphanage. How you took care of him. I owe you a debt for that.” He wraps his arm around Merlin, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to Merlin’s temple. Merlin notices that Ansel averting his eyes from the display of affection.

“How much longer until we’re home?” Mordred asks.

“Another two weeks, I’d say.” Leon is always on hyper alert these days, as though to make up for his earlier error. Merlin wonders what Arthur will do when it comes time to punish him. He’s wanted to ask, but Arthur has been less than approachable lately. Now that he’s relaxed a bit, Merlin hopes to find out.

Will, now out of heat, sticks to Leon’s side, cowed by whatever happened before they left Wolf Haven and also obviously rattled by Leon’s fall from the Alpha’s favor. He keeps a hand on Leon at all times, and numerous times in the past few days Merlin has noticed Will submissively offering of his neck to his alpha .

“I have never lived among a pack,” Matthew says. “I was born a city wolf and was lucky enough to find a mate. When he died of wolf fever, I set out on my own.” He takes a sip of beer. “I’m anxious to see what it’s like. Do you live in dens?”

“We did,” Mordred says, “but since we moved to the ranch, we live in houses. Still, I expect you’ll see a difference. The city was a shock to us.”

“It’s already different having an Alpha.” Matthew keeps his head lowered so as not to offend Arthur until he can explain his words. “It's nice knowing I have people standing behind me. It was a hard life, before.”

“I imagine it was,” Arthur says. He turns to the other two betas, Rudolph and Adrien. “I haven’t heard your stories.”

“We both came from the snowy regions of the north,” Adrien says. He’s tall with dark skin and a rather imposing nose. “Same pack. It dwindled in number over the years, and when our alpha was killed in a fight with a mountain lion, Rudy and I took off together, heading south to warmer climate. We met up with Bick along the way and then Matt, Salinger and Balfour.”

Bick stayed behind in Wolf Haven, and Merlin’s frankly happy he did, as the beta didn’t seem particularly friendly.

Arthur nods. “It seems that many packs have suffered.”

“The Pendragon pack is legendary,” Rudolph says. “It is said it’s indestructible.”

Arthur frowns. “I don’t know about that—we’re certainly in dire straits now.” He turns to Ansel, face unreadable. “Merlin has told me of his experience…before. We would like to know yours.”

Ansel sits back, crossing his arms over his barrel of a chest.

“I would like to speak to Merlin about it alone.”

Merlin’s heart sinks. Obviously this isn’t going to be as easy as he’d hoped.

 

 


	22. The Pain of Remembering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ansel and Merlin try touching again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some angst. Short memories of traumatic experience.

“That is not going to happen,” Arthur says, a line appearing between his eyes that Merlin wants to smooth out with his thumb, or even better---his lips.

“I’m uncomfortable speaking about it here with so many people around,” Ansel says.

Merlin puts a hand on Arthur’s arm and leans in to speak into his ear.

“It’s difficult to hear in this crowd. Why don’t the three of us go to our room?”

Arthur doesn’t seem happy, but he gives a curt nod, and Merlin stands.

“Come with us, Ansel.”

They leave the rest of their friends and take the lift upstairs, Arthur glaring at Ansel from under his brows the entire time as he leans against the wall. When they exit into the hallway, a passerby brushes up against Merlin on his way past them, and Arthur’s whole body stiffens. He starts after the man, but Merlin grabs his arm.

“It’s okay, Arthur. Really. Humans don’t know about how we are—they rudely run into each other all the time. Come on; you know that.” He gives Arthur an encouraging smile, and Arthur relaxes enough to clasp Merlin’s hand in his and give it an affectionate squeeze.

They continue to the room, and once inside, Arthur tosses the key card onto the table and sits on the edge of the bed.

“Tell us what you experienced.”

Ansel takes a seat at the small table by the window and looks at Merlin.

“It was crazy---you felt it, didn’t you? The magic between us?”

Arthur’s shoulder muscles bunch at Ansel’s words, and Merlin sits beside him, putting a hand on Arthur’s leg.

“There was powerful magic present, yes. I saw things—from our old pack days. My parents.” Merlin can’t help but smile, because the images were so real—much better than his memory. It was as though his mother and father were really there with him. He saw that he really does have his mother’s eyes—large and blue, with dark lashes surrounding them.

“I did, also,” Ansel says, enthusiastically leaning forward. “It was amazing.”

“What did you see, exactly?” Arthur asks, crossing his arms over his chest. Under his palm, Merlin feels the muscles of Arthur’s thigh bunch.

Ansel reluctantly drags his attention to Arthur. “My family—I haven’t seen them since that day of the attack on our pack. I saw my father standing with Merlin’s mother. And I saw _your_ father.”

Arthur sits up straighter. “My father?”

Ansel nods, eyes hard.

“How did you know it was my father?”

“I’ve seen him more than once—him and the man called Agravaine. At the Council of the Wolves and the night our pack was attacked. Didn’t Merlin tell you?”

“Of course he told me!” Arthur barks, and Ansel quickly moves back, head lowered, instinct kicking in. Arthur is his Alpha now--Ansel had to commit to him before they left Wolf Haven, or else Arthur would not take him into his protection, although there was a bit of a row about whether Ansel needed protection at all; finally Chad had intervened and convinced his brother that it was for the best.

Merlin can see how much it rankles Ansel to be under Arthur’s power, knowing that Arthur’s father was responsible for the death of his parents and the entire pack. Merlin himself suddenly has had trouble dealing with it since touching Ansel and having those visions. Before, it just didn’t seem real, but now that he’s had such a powerful experience—where it seemed as though his mother and father were right there with him—he finds himself missing them terribly, and the fact that Uther Pendragon took them from Merlin really hurts. He’s been able to push those feelings aside when with Arthur, but he can certainly understand that Ansel can’t.

Ansel turns his gaze to Merlin.

“I again saw the moment that my father gave me the pendant, and I remembered our binding.”

Merlin’s mouth falls open in surprise. “But…we were only babies!”

Ansel nods. “Still, I recalled being held by my father and the feeling of magic pouring over me. I also remember your name being spoken. Merlin, I think we should try it again—see what else we can remember.”

Arthur’s arm encircles Merlin’s waist, pulling him close, and Merlin feels his mate’s resistance; but he wants this—he wants to see his parents again. He looks at Arthur and knows that Arthur sees the yearning in his eyes.

“All right,” Arthur says quietly.

“You’ll allow it?” Ansel is obviously shocked.

Arthur nods.

“You shouldn’t be touching me when we do this,” Merlin tells his mate softly. “The energy of the magic sent Leon into a tree when he touched me before.”

He feels bereft when Arthur’s arm slips away.

“Only touch hands,” Arthur says firmly.

Ansel scoots to the edge of his chair and reaches out. After a few nervous seconds, Merlin does the same.

 

_“Merlin, eat all of your dinner.” Merlin’s mother is beautiful—dark hair falling to her waist and skin as pale as the moon. “Your father and the others worked hard taking down that deer.”_

_They’re in a dim burrow, but it’s cozy and home. Comfort and security radiates around Merlin. He’s where he belongs and taken care of._

The scene abruptly changes, and Merlin lets out a whimper, wanting to keep his mother with him and to hold onto that time when he was young and free of care.

_“That’s very good, Merlin!” His father’s voice is rich and full of pride. He seems so large next to Merlin—like a wolf god. “You are such a smart little wolf, and one day you will be big and strong.”_

_Balinor’s dark eyes become suddenly sad, as though he knows that he won’t live to see that happen. Merlin can feel his father’s strong hand encircle his own small one, and he wants the moment to last forever._

But the scene blurs, quickly replaced with another.

_Merlin is in his wolf form, and his mother’s silken fur presses to his nose as he suckles from her teat. Everywhere there is warmth and love, and Merlin senses his father’s nearness even before he lies down to snuggle from behind Merlin. They are a family. As Merlin pulls warm milk from the flesh in his mouth, the familiar scents of his parents mingle in the air, slowly lulling him to sleep._

The scene changes a final time.

_Screams and crying. Shouts of anger and hysteria. Fire. Terrible, terrible fear. Merlin wants his parents, but he can’t get to them. The terrible realization that he’ll never see them again is like a dark pall over his world._

Merlin pulls away, breaking the magic, his heart shattered. When Arthur reaches for him, Merlin flinches and curls up into a ball, shaking uncontrollably.

“What happened?” Arthur demands, voice cracking with anger and frustration at not being able to touch Merlin.

From the corner of his eye, Merlin can see Ansel blinking stupidly, senses slowly coming back. He inhales deeply before speaking.

“I don’t know what Merlin saw. It—it was mostly just different scenes of my life for me.” A tear runs down his face, and Ansel quickly wipes it away. “My father showing me how to hunt.” He swallows. “My mother holding me.”

“Was there anything that might help us?” Arthur asks, eyes moving to Merlin’s trembling form, and Merlin pushes away the thought that Arthur should understand that he and Ansel have just been through something powerfully moving.

Ansel shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Leave us.”

Ansel stands, hovering near Merlin for a moment before resolutely going to the door. When it closes, Arthur kneels at the bedside where Merlin lies, worry evident in the depths of his blue eyes.

“Merlin? Are you all right?”

“I just want to be alone for a bit, Arthur,” Merlin says, trying to stifle his tears. Arthur looks uncertain and even hurt, but Merlin can’t help it; he has to be alone to process what he felt and saw.

“I’ll be fine. Just—go eat something and come back. You can bring me a sandwich.”

Finally, Arthur stands, fingers running gently through Merlin’s hair.

Merlin does his best to hide the cringe, but Arthur sees it. His face shuts down and he leaves the room.


	23. Catharsis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crying jag can be quite cathartic, along with your best friend and the love of your mate.

As Merlin calms, he slowly unravels himself from the ball he’s drawn himself into. This time his and Ansel’s combining magic had brought on visions that felt even more real than the last time, and Merlin wouldn’t have even thought that possible. It had been as though he was a pup again, experiencing things he couldn’t even remember.

A knock on the door, and Will steps into the room.

“Are you all right?” Will sits on the bed and puts a hand on Merlin’s chest. “Your heart’s beating a mile a minute!”

Merlin can only shake his head, lips starting to tremble. Will climbs onto the mattress and settles himself next to Merlin, pulling his friend into his arms for a cuddle.

“Arthur sent me up here.”

At those words, Merlin begins crying in earnest.

“Shh, shh.” Will pets Merlin’s head. “It’s all right. Everything will be fine.”

“Where is Arthur now?” Merlin asks, swallowing his tears and clutching fretfully at Will.

“He’s in our room, playing cards with the others.”

“Is he okay?”

Will wipes the moisture from Merlin’s face with gentle fingers.

“He’s his usual pompous arse self, as far as I could tell. Now, what is it that’s got you so upset? Did Ansel say something to you? He didn’t come to our room.”

“We touched hands again, and this time the visions were even sharper—I—I saw my mum like she was here with me. The way it felt to be with her and Da…I can’t describe it.” Merlin takes a shaky breath. “This is all stuff I don’t remember at all. It was so weird, like living it again. And Will…just knowing that the Pendragons took that from me! It’s making me crazy! I didn’t even want Arthur to touch me.”

Will leans back so he can look down at Merlin.

“It was Uther who did it, not Arthur.”

“I know! Gods, I know, Will. But I couldn’t help my reactions…as soon as I came out of the trance, or whatever it was, I didn’t want Arthur touching me. Are you sure he’s all right?”

“He wasn’t off crying in the corner, if that’s what you mean. Arthur’s stronger than that.”

“I hurt him.” Merlin begins to sob again, and Will pulls him in more tightly.

“I’m sure he understood. He sent me in here, didn’t he?”

“This is so hard.” Merlin’s words are muffled by Will’s shirt.

“I just want it to be the way it used to be. I want Ansel to go away, and I want to see my babies. I want Arthur and I don’t want these confusing feelings!” He hiccups. “And the really…really bad thing is I’ll have to go through it again! Nothing I saw was any help. I don’t know what I’m supposed to figure out by being with Ansel. I don’t know how it’s going to help our pack! Everything’s a mess, and I just don’t want to---to do this anymore!” Merlin falls into a fresh bout of crying, and almost misses the sound of the door opening. Then Will gently extricates himself from Merlin’s embrace and is replaced by Arthur’s familiar body and scent. Merlin clings to his mate, sobbing his heart out into his chest.

“Everything’s fine, Merlin,” Arthur says into Merlin’s hair.

“I’m so sorry!” Merlin cries, fingers twisting in the tail of Arthur’s shirt.

“Shhh, there, there.” Arthur’s arms tighten around Merlin. “I wish I could take all this pain away.”

Merlin lifts his head, looking up into Arthur’s face. “I didn’t mean it, Arthur. There’s never a time when I don’t want you around, it’s just…”

“It’s fine,” Arthur says firmly. “Merlin, if you don’t want to be touched, that’s okay.”

“I hurt your feelings.” Merlin pouts, and Arthur makes a dismissive noise.

“I’m tougher than that. I knew if I sent Will in here to babble at you for a while, you’d be welcoming me back in no time.”

Merlin can’t help but smile at that. He peers around Arthur’s arm to see that Will has quietly sneaked out, leaving them alone.

“I don’t want to do it again, Arthur. I don’t want to touch Ansel or see those things again. It hurts---to feel my mum and da’s love when I know I’ll never see them again.”

“I’m sorry.” Arthur kisses Merlin’s temple. “I’m so sorry, my love. I want to make everything good for you, but I feel helpless in this situation. It’s Ansel you need to figure this out, and I can only stand by knowing that my father was the cause of all your pain and suffering.”

Merlin pulls Arthur in closer. “It’s not your fault, and having you here gives me strength. No matter what I say or do, Arthur, you have to know how much I love you.”

He feels Arthur nod.

After a while, Merlin falls asleep.

He awakens some time later, deep in the night, his limbs wrapped around Arthur. Quietly, he eases up and walks into the bathroom to wash his face and use the toilet. When he pads back into the room, he finds a sandwich and a bottle of water that Arthur must have brought to him sitting on the table. He looks to the bed where Arthur lies quietly breathing, blond hair in a tangle and shirt riding up where Merlin had clutched at it to reveal taut abs and the shallow navel Merlin loves to put his tongue into.

Trying to be as quiet so as not to awaken Arthur, Merlin opens the door and goes into the hall, sitting down on the floor and opening up his sandwich. The gods know Merlin’s put his mate through enough for one night, and he wants Arthur to have a good night’s sleep; they’ll be traveling again tomorrow.

Merlin takes a bite of the chicken and lettuce sub, chewing thoughtfully. His eyes are sore from all the crying, but he feels better. It had been cathartic, getting out all his fears like that. He takes a deep, trembling breath and lets it back out again. He’ll have to be strong and get through this; that’s all there is to it.

Merlin’s eyes are drawn to the lift doors opening down the hall. Ansel walks out and turns, stopping mid-stride when he sees Merlin. Merlin stiffens, unsure if he wants to talk to Ansel or if he even should, but Ansel only looks at him a bit sadly before turning and walking in the other direction.

 


	24. Almost Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group treks homeward, and Cenred needs reassurance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I write, I keep writing Mordred where it should be Cenred and vice versa. Hopefully, I caught all the errors.

For Mordred, this trip has been all about seeing cities, experiencing humans, following the orders of the Alpha, and most of all—long, exhausting treks. With the end almost in sight, he’s more than eager to get home, emphatic in the thought that he will never take part in such a journey again.

“Pointless,” he mutters under his breath.

“Better watch what you say,” Cenred tells him. They’ve been wolves all day and have switched to human form to bathe. Now clean and fed, they continue through the forest, enjoying walking in human form for a while.

“The Alpha can’t hear me,” Mordred says. Arthur and Merlin walk quite a distance ahead of the others, hand in hand, although Leon tries to keep up with them, hyper-alert.

“You know this trip wasn’t pointless, anyway,” Cenred says. “Obviously this Ansel fellow is the key, somehow. At least, from what I’ve heard. I wish we’d been there to see Leon fly into the tree.” His mouth quirks at the thought. Mordred knows that Cenred has always entertained a slight rivalry with Leon, probably because Leon has always been Arthur’s friend and confidante while Cenred was once thought to be untrustworthy.

“I don’t mean the trip—just the fact that we came, too.”

“I think Arthur needed the back-up,” Cenred says. “Mine, anyway. And there’s no way you weren’t coming with me.” He squints his eyes as he looks forward. “Leon hasn’t exactly been a stellar example.”

“True,” Mordred says, wondering what punishment lies ahead for the alpha. “But that’s unusual for him. Perhaps Will’s finally got Leon so rattled he can’t function properly.”

Cenred gives Mordred a look that raises the hair at the back of Mordred’s neck.

“You certainly are standing up for Leon.”

Mordred immediately goes to his alpha’s side, baring his neck. They’ve stopped walking, the others moving ahead, and Mordred’s knees shake as Cenred runs his fingers up Mordred’s arm, settling them under Mordred’s chin and lifting it. Mordred won’t meet his eyes, but instead holds them deferentially downward. Cenred leans in, snaking his tongue out to lick along Mordred’s jawline up to his ear while his hands move to cup Mordred’s buttocks firmly, pulling him against Cenred’s body.

“Perhaps my omega needs a reminder on who his alpha is.” Cenred’s voice is a low purr that reverberates from his chest through Mordred’s body.

Mordred lets out a squeak as Cenred turns his attention to Mordred’s mating bate, licking and nibbling it until Mordred can’t stay on his feet any longer and drops to the ground. Cenred growls and covers Mordred’s body with his own, grappling with the loose pants he’d slipped on after bathing to bring out his cock. A few jerks of his hand, and he comes all over Mordred’s trembling chest.

“Wear it,” Cenred says, pulling Mordred to his feet and hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group. Mordred’s so hard it hurts but doubts he’ll get relief any time soon with the mood his alpha’s in.

Walking in the back with Kasha, Will turns to the couple as they fall into step behind them. He eyes the goop dripping from Mordred’s pectorals and running down his belly.

“I’m not even going to ask.”

“Good,” Mordred says.

Kasha covers her mouth, hiding a giggle.

“I hope you get an alpha at least half as possessive as mine,” Mordred tells her, lifting his chin. Beside him, Cenred grunts in approval.

The day wears on, and by night fall, the pack finds itself very close to Crescent City.

“Might as well stop here,” Arthur says. “Unless any of you prefer to find a hotel.”

“I’ve had enough of humans, thanks,” Cenred says, and the rest agree.

Mordred notices that Ansel and Chad have been sticking close together, most likely catching up on the years they spent apart. The affection between them is obvious, and brings a nostalgic pang of Mordred’s relationship with his sister. Mordred is glad that Ansel has someone, as he cuts a rather forlorn figure with his obvious desire to be with Merlin—which is a totally lost cause if there ever was one.

Of course, Mordred isn’t about to voice his concerns for Ansel aloud—the dry patch of Cenred’s spunk remains an itchy reminder of his alpha’s jealousy.

After they prepare a nest for sleep, Cenred sits pensively pulling at his cock, knot forming at the bottom, watching Mordred stretch out in the leaves and pine needles. When Mordred would normally crawl up and kiss those full lips, the look Cenred wears makes Mordred cower instead.

He must show Cenred he has nothing to worry about, Mordred thinks, for somehow his alpha is doubting him, and that won’t do. Mordred slowly turns to his belly and crawls forward until he rests between Cenred’s legs. As he snuffles at heavy balls and knot, taking in his alpha’s scent, he feels Cenred’s eyes upon him. When Cenred makes no move to push Mordred away, Mordred begins to lick, pushing and prodding at the crepey skin of Cenred’s ball sac until Cenred’s breathing hard, knees moving invitingly farther apart.

Presenty, Mordred calms under the obvious enjoyment of his alpha and pulls one of Cenred’s nuts into his mouth, sucking contentedly.

Cenred leans his head back with a groan, big hands coming to rest on Mordred’s head, caressing. Mordred nurses the ball for a long time before letting it drop, wet and dripping, and taking the other one into his mouth. As Mordred suckles, Cenred begins to gently thrust forward, his cock enormous. After a moment, Mordred moves to press his lips to the bulging knot, and Cenred gasps, fingers tugging almost painfully at the strands of Mordred’s hair. When Mordred opens his lips and sucks, feeling the pulsing hardness against his tongue, Cenred comes, long spurts of semen splattering Mordred’s hair and face.

After a long, deep kiss, Cenred settles on his back, Mordred pulled tightly to his side, spunk-covered and content.

 


	25. Strange Happenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The alphas are acting strangely.
> 
> Warnings: Hints at an attempted rape.

As the days pass, Will notices that Mordred becomes increasingly matted with his alpha’s spunk, since Cenred refuses to allow him to bathe it off. Added to that, Leon acts more and more strangely. He seems to spend an inordinate amount of time fawning over Arthur these days, to the point where the Alpha has begun to snap at him. It’s not that Will doesn’t understand that Leon feels badly about deserting his post, but this is getting ridiculous—after all, instincts prevailed that day, with Will’s strong heat drawing all of Leon’s attention away from Merlin. It wasn’t as though Leon had left the Vixen in order to fuck Will just for kicks.

So far, Will’s attempts to find out what’s going on with Leon have only earned him a knee-numbing growl, so Will’s left it alone.

Now, though, as Arthur becomes shorter and shorter with Leon, undoubtedly tired of Leon’s dogged attempts to please and most likely distracted by the current issues with Merlin, Will thinks he must find a way to reel his alpha back to his side before Leon makes things worse than they already are. Perhaps it’s the long trip that’s affecting them, Will muses as he trudges along between Kasha and Adrien, for Balfour has also shown signs of unrest, frequently attempting to get Kasha alone when before he had heeded Arthur’s warnings about the unmated omega.

The only one of them who seems content these days is Ansel, and isn’t that odd, Will thinks. After all, Ansel is the one who normally can’t keep still for his desire to stare at Merlin with longing cow eyes. Yet today he happily walks beside his brother, talking quietly with him and rarely glancing Merlin’s way. Will would like to discuss this whole thing with Mordred, but it’s difficult to get close to him these days, what with Cenred keeping his omega in submission all the time.

Will sighs. He’ll be awfully glad to get back home where things will return to normal.

Later that day, just as they’re cresting a hill that Will is sure he recognizes as one that’s a mere day’s walk from the ranch, Merlin stops and calls out, “We need to take a rest!” The group comes to a halt.

“Why?” Cenred asks. “We’re not far from home. We could reach the ranch by sun-up if we walk the night.”

“Arthur needs to sit down,” Merlin says, taking Arthur’s arm and leading him to a moss-covered area under a large oak.

Everyone looks to Arthur in consternation, as Arthur normally would be the last to sit down for a rest and couldn’t possibly be happy about his omega insisting he take one.

But Arthur seems out of sorts, allowing Merlin to fuss over him.

“What’s wrong?” Leon immediately rushes to his Alpha’s side.

“Leon,” Will calls to him. “Please come here; I need you.”

Merlin shoots Will a grateful look and continues tending to Arthur.

“What is it?” Leon asks, and Will pulls him behind a thick area of bushes for privacy.

“Leon, will you stop hovering over Arthur? Can’t you see it’s making him edgy?”

“It’s my job to look after Arthur!” Leon tries to peek over the bushes, but Will yanks him down again.

“You’re acting like his mother, for fuck’s sake! What’s going on with you?”

Leon snarls at Will, making Will stumble backward off his haunches and onto his hands.

“You’d better watch it, or I will turn you over my knee in front of everyone.” Leon’s eyes are stony.

An uncomfortable feeling coils in Will’s belly as he lowers his head in deference to Leon. He has no doubt his mate will do as he threatens, and that frightens Will. Leon is a good mate and a reasonable man—he punishes Will when he needs it, and even Will admits he needs it often; but it isn’t like Leon to be so impatient with him, just as it isn’t like him to lose his pride to the Alpha as he’s been doing.

Will bites his lip, shivering a little under Leon’s gaze.

Just then, Balfour comes through the trees, dragging Kasha behind him.

“No, Balfour…the Alpha said…”

“Nevermind that.” Balfour pushes Kasha to the ground and hovers over her.

“Hey! Stop!” Will scrambles to his feet and runs toward them. “Leave her alone! The Alpha told you to let her be unless you want to mate her.”

“Mind your own business.” Balfour shoves Will back, and suddenly, Leon is on Balfour, shifting to wolf and biting the man on his shoulder before he can shift himself. Will takes the opportunity to drag Kasha away, and a moment later Adrien and Rudolph are there, with Cenred not far behind.

It takes them all to drag Leon off Balfour, who is bloody and breathing hard. Will hears Merlin calling to him, and he hurries over, taking Kasha with him.

He finds Merlin still with Arthur. Will assumes Merlin is wondering what the commotion’s about, but instead he grips Arthur’s hand and turns troubled eyes to Will.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him! It’s like he’s drugged! He didn’t even notice all the noise.”

Will squats beside Merlin, leaning in to look into Arthur’s eyes, which appear unfocused and confused.

“Something really weird is going on here,” Will says, and Kasha nods agreement. Mordred comes to join them, his hair sticking at odd angles from pushing the cum-sticky strands from his face.

“Until recently, Balfour has been nothing but respectful to me,” Kasha says. “I don’t know what’s come over him.”

“Leon’s been acting weird, too, and so has Cenred, for that matter.” Will tries to fix Mordred’s hair, but it’s no use.

Mordred sighs, batting Will’s hand away. “I have to admit I’ve never seen Cenred so possessive and unsure of himself around the other alphas.”

Merlin chews on his lower lip. “Is anyone else acting strange?”

Will shakes his head. “If you’ll notice, they’re all alphas. Ansel is the only alpha that isn’t acting weird. In fact, he’s been unusually content.”

“Is something wrong?” Ansel’s voice brings all four omegas’ heads up. Will feels strong testosterone wafting over them and cringes back.

“Arthur seems to be sick,” Merlin says. “I’m worried about him.”

Balfour staggers into the clearing to collapse in some leaves, breathing hard. Sounds of scuffling beyond the bushes tell Will that Cenred and the others haven’t quite managed to subdue Leon.

“Perhaps the Alpha is simply exhausted,” Ansel says, crouching beside the others and peering at Arthur. “I’ve heard that he’s been under increasing stress on this journey—making mistakes that an Alpha should never make.”

“What the hell are you talking about!” Merlin gets to his feet. “Who’s been saying things like that? I’d like them to come say them to my face!”

“I’ve simply heard talk,” Ansel says. “Calm down, Merlin.”

The edge to his voice brings Merlin back to the ground, but he leans into Arthur and away from Ansel.

Chad walks over. “We’re close to the ranch, aren’t we, Merlin? I heard Cenred say so earlier.”

“Yes.” Merlin’s eyes go to Arthur, who seems to have drifted off to sleep. “But we can’t continue until Arthur feels better. We’ll have to make camp.”

“I say we continue,” Ansel says. “We’re close, and this forest is a perfect environment for rogue wolves. We can carry Arthur.”

“You aren’t in charge,” Will says, although it takes everything in him to confront the big alpha. “Leon and Cenred should decide if Arthur can’t.”

“They’ve never been pack Alphas,” Ansel says evenly. “I’m one in my own right and the obvious choice to take over.”

Cold dread grips Will. He looks to Merlin and Mordred, and his friends seem to feel the same.


	26. The Ranch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group arrives at the Ranch, and Merlin finds himself helpless as Ansel attempts to take over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments, and sorry for the delay! I've been very busy lately.

There isn’t anything for it but to continue: the other alphas are in no shape to challenge Ansel, and the omegas are powerless. The betas don’t mind the fact that they are moving forward, as they are tired of traveling. Chad doesn’t see any reason to argue with his brother at the moment—he wants to get some place safe. When he tells Merlin this, Merlin finally stops arguing. He wants to see his children and get Arthur to Gaius.

Four of them support Arthur on a make-shift carrier formed out of branches and the clothes off their backs on the rest of the journey to the ranch. Merlin walks along side, holding Arthur’s hand in his. Arthur isn’t completely unconscious—he sometimes opens his eyes to dully look at Merlin or to blink into the branches above, and other times he seems to be struggling to come to himself. Merlin tries to help him along, but Arthur always winds up succumbing to the lethargy that’s taken hold of him.

As time goes on, Arthur stirs more and more often, and Merlin is on red alert. It pays off when he senses the powerful pull of magic in the air just before Arthur is drawn inward again.

“Ansel is doing this,” he angrily whispers to Will just as they reach the outskirts of the ranch and everyone is distracted by the barking cries of delight from within.

Will’s eyes searched for Allison or George among the crowd gathering to meet them.

“What?”

Merlin grabs hold of Will’s arm and squeezes it hard. “Ansel’s magic…I felt it. He’s keeping Arthur incapacitated, and probably messing with the other alpha’s, too, just as we suspected.” He stops talking when Ansel turns around, obviously waiting for Merlin to catch up so he can introduce him to the pack.

Lance is the first to reach Merlin and grab him up in a hug.

“What’s wrong with the Alpha? Is he hurt?” Lance watches as Balfour and the others gently set Arthur onto the ground.

Simon bend over the Alpha, searching his body for wounds.

“He’s…” Merlin doesn’t know what to say. “…unconscious,” he finally finished weakly. “Exhaustion.”

“We’ll take him to Gaius,” Simon says, motioning to Donald and a few others.

Lance looks curiously at Ansel and the other strangers.

“Everyone,” Merlin raises his voice and all fall quiet, “these are friends who are joining the pack. Chad is a beta from my old pack—I didn’t know that he’d survived.” He smiles at Chad. “And this is his brother, Ansel.” Merlin barely looks Ansel’s way. The less importance he puts on Ansel, the better. “This is Chad’s husband, Jude, someone I knew at the orphanage—it was a great coincidence to find them together.”

As Merlin gives names, the pack members greet each of them in turn. Merlin is embraced by one person after another, and as he studies them, he thinks everyone appears thinner. He worries about his babies. He hasn’t seen Collum or Sigmund yet in the crowd, and as he walks farther into the compound, what he most wants to do is run to his house to check on his family.

“My pups?” Merlin finally asks Nim when she elbows her way through the crowd and hugs him tightly.

“They’re fine,” she says. “I’ll take you to them.”

Ansel then speaks up.

“What your Vixen isn’t saying is that his mate has fallen unconscious with no signs of waking up. Arthur has made numerous mistakes over the past few months, some of them endangering his pack; it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that he’s fallen in his duties. It was left to me to take over the last part of the trip.”

“Yeah, all of three hours,” Will mutters.

Pack members look to one another, obviously thinking that if Leon and Cenred allowed Ansel to take over, there must be a good reason for it.

“As Merlin’s intended,” Ansel continues, “and as a pack Alpha myself—“

“You were never Alpha to your pack,” Mordred interrupts. “You only would have been if everyone had lived—assuming you were really pack-Alpha material.”

Ansel turns venomous eyes on Mordred, who immediately steps back under the glare of an enraged alpha. He looks to Cenred, but his alpha seems to be in a fog, as yet unaware of his surroundings.

“What do you mean by ‘Merlin’s intended’?” Lance asks, looking from Ansel to Merlin and back again.

“Merlin and I were magically bonded at birth.”

There is a stirring within the crowd.

“What does it mean?” Nim asks Merlin.

“It means nothing,” Merlin says loudly. “I want to see my pups.” He starts to walk away.

“Stop!” Ansel says, voice low and commanding, and to Merlin’s consternation, he stops, unable to move forward. “You will stay by my side, Merlin.”

“Oh, gods!” someone murmurs. “What is happening? What about Arthur?”

“Is it true?” Another voice says. “Is the Alpha truly not in command?”

“It must be, or Merlin wouldn’t be obeying this one.”

“He must have power…Cenred or Leon would not allow it otherwise.”

“Do something!” Will elbows Leon in the ribs, and Leon blinks rapidly. “Leon?”

“I’m…” Leon looks around as though just realizing where he is. “We’re home?”

“Yes, you great oaf, and Ansel is committing mutiny!”

“We aren’t on a ship, you dolt,” Mordred says, but his eyes are on Cenred, who seems equally baffled.

“What the hell is all over you?” Nim asks Mordred. She takes a step closer and then covers her nose. “Nevermind.”

“Can I please have a bath before I have to deal with all this?” Mordred asks, a whine in his voice. This has all been too much.

Cenred spots their house and Gilly waving from the front door. “Come on, Mordred! What are you waiting for? The children!” He starts that way, and Mordred follows with a worried glance to Merlin.

All Merlin wants to do is to go to his children and then back to Arthur, but his limbs seem unable to do so. He tries to summon magic within himself, but knowing that it’s there is not equal to being able to use it. He wonders how Ansel figured it out.

“Ansel, stop this,” he says.

“Stop what? You are rightfully my vixen, Merlin, and it’s time you understood that. The fact that I am able to take over for Arthur proves that I’m the leader this pack now.” He looks at all the faces around him. “I was meant to be with Merlin, and Merlin has brought me back with him because we, together, are the answer to this pack’s problems. The Father Wolf has seen it right to incapacitate Arthur, for he has poisoned you with his unworthy Pendragon leadership. If there’s some ceremony that needs to happen to formally make me pack Alpha, then begin preparing for it. The sooner the better.” He wraps an arm around Merlin’s shoulders, and every fiber in Merlin’s being wants to cringe from it. But he can’t.

“Just a minute, there,” someone pushes their way through the crowd, and then Merlin raises his eyes to find a welcomed friend standing there.

“Gwaine.”

Gwaine smiles. “Hello, Merlin. Good to see you again.” He looks at Ansel challengingly.

“Did I hear you correctly…you are attempting to take over this pack?”

Ansel nods, looking down his nose at Gwaine.

“Well, I hate to tell you this, but as Arthur’s second, I am in charge of this pack. And no newcomer is going to push their way into our midst like this.” He reaches out and takes Merlin’s hand. “As second, I am in charge of the Vixen when Arthur is out for the count.”

Merlin feels the magical bond tugging at him, but in the end, Gwaine’s right as second prevails, and Merlin is able to step away from Ansel and go with him.

He can feel the fury in Ansel’s eyes with every step he takes.


	27. Gwaine's Delimma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin is reunited with his children and explains all to Gwaine. Meanwhile, Ansel tries to garner supporters.

Merlin sinks down to the floor of his house— _his house_! The smell of it is familiar and comforting. Seconds later, he’s toppled by his children as they each try to be the one pressed closest to him. Outside the window, the orange, blighted fields blur at the edges by the fast-setting sun.

“Where’s Daddy?” Em asks.

“He’s resting.” Merlin runs his fingers through his son’s dark curls. “He’ll be up and around in no time. He can’t wait to be with all of you.”

“You should see the house we made out of blankets!” Artie says, tugging on Merlin’s arm. He’s become stout and strong in the months they’ve been gone. It looks like they’ve somehow been fed well. He’ll have to ask Collum about it.

“I want to see it,” Merlin says, hugging Matthew to him and petting Stacy’s sweet face. He’s missed them all so much. Michael peers shyly at Merlin from behind Sigmund’s legs.

“Come here, munchkin,” Merlin says, holding his hand out, and Michael toddles forward into his father’s embrace. Igraine stands behind Merlin, her small arms wrapped around his neck. Merlin leans his head back and kisses her cheek.

Gwaine leans against the bar separating living area from the kitchen, arms crossed, observing the reunion. After a time, he suggests that the children go fix up their fort so it looks its very best before their Da sees it.

Hunith and then Ella give Merlin another kiss before they run off with the others, and Merlin gazes longingly after them.

“Sorry, Merlin, but I have to know what’s going on,” Gwaine says, taking a seat on the couch. “What happened to Jude being the answer we needed? And what the fuck’s wrong with Arthur?”

Merlin sighs. “I think the Father Wolf had us dream of Jude because he was the one with the job—he was most easily traced. When we did find him, it quickly became apparent that he didn’t know anything of value. Then we found out that he’s married to Chad, my old friend from my pack. I couldn’t believe Chad was alive! For so long now, I’ve thought I was the only survivor.”

Gwaine smiles. “I’m sure that felt great.”

“It did.” Merlin nods. “And then there was another amazing coincidence…Chad’s older brother, whom Chad escaped with the night of the attack on our pack, was there at Wolf Haven where we were staying! And as soon as Ansel and I met, the magic between us became active. Ansel told me his father told him all about the bond. Ansel’s father and my mother had magic, and they bonded us as intended mates…in order to save ourselves one day, I think. I don’t know.”

“To save this pack, you mean.”

Merlin nods. “Yeah. Ansel wanted me to leave Arthur and mate with him.” Merlin gives a humorless chuckle. “Like I’m going to do that.”

“If he really knew you, he would have known you wouldn’t. Arthur must have gone ballistic.”

“He took it all better than I thought, even admitting that Ansel must be the key. So he accepted him into the packm and we brought him back here. But on the way home, all the alphas began acting funny. I think Ansel’s had something to do with it, especially since Arthur’s the worst.”

“What was all that about Arthur making mistakes?” Gwaine asks.

“Bullshit, is what it is. Our trip was difficult, and Ansel heard all about it. Cenred was shot by a hunter—not too badly, but Arthur took it hard. Then Will and Mordred got themselves lost, and Arthur blamed himself for that, too. Arthur had to kill a rogue wolf that tried to attack me. Most were little mishaps, but they got to Arthur, and when Ansel heard about them, he used them to his advantage, of course. Now he’s going to have people half-convinced Arthur’s not a good Alpha, and he’s got Arthur under some kind of spell, too. I just don’t understand it.” Merlin covered his face with his hands. “How has he done it? I don’t know how to use this magic we have.”

“Have you ever tried?” Gwaine asks.

Merlin shakes his head. “Not really. I wouldn’t know how.”

“Obviously, Ansel’s tried and succeeded at it, which means you can, too. Tell me everything you know about the magic.”

Merlin tells Gwaine about what happens when he and Ansel touch.

“But he’s not getting help from you, right? I mean to control the alphas.”

Merlin shakes his head. “I’ve stayed away from him. He’s doing this on his own.”

“Well, there’s nothing for it but for you to start concentrating…trying to make things happen. Start small. I’m going to have to go find Ansel. I’ll be back and escort you to see Arthur in a bit.” He stands. “Don’t worry, Merlin. Everything will be fine.”

Merlin stands and hugs Gwaine, wishing Arthur were there to growl about it.

“Thanks, Gwaine. Maybe someone can send word soon to the Munson pack? I know Will’s dying to see his older kids.”

Gwaine nods. “I’ll get on it.”

000

Gwaine finds Ansel in the clearing talking to Gilly, Daegal, Percy, Donald, and a few others.

“I won’t have you stirring up trouble,” Gwaine says, walking to stand in the midst of them.

“I’m here to help,” Ansel says.

“You want to help?” Gwaine puts a hand out to indicate the diseased crops. “Then help. Make these grow wheat, corn, and barley. Bring the cows back to health. Get us some fucking food! Just stop trying to get into Merlin’s pants by way of ruining Arthur!”

Gilly and Daegal stand close together, watching. Percy steps forward.

“Just exactly what’s wrong with the Alpha?”

“Exhaustion,” Ansel says. “It was all too much for him.”

“That’s not true. You’ve done something to him,” Gwaine says.

Ansel holds his hands out, palms up. “What could I have done? Ask anyone. I haven’t touched Arthur.”

“It’s magic,” Gwaine says, and Ansel chuckles.

“Right. Who told you that, Merlin? He wants to believe that, but the fact is, Arthur’s strung out from months of worry.”

“He said Cenred and Leon are affected, too.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Go see them for yourself. But the fact is, Arthur is not in a position to be in charge. Merlin and I have to be together to work our magic, so…”

“Hold on. I told you I’m second in command, and you are not just going to take over.”

“How am I going to be with the pack Vixen if I’m not pack Alpha?” Ansel asks. He turns to Percy and the others. “Can’t you see he’s letting his personal power-trip get in the way of what’s best for the pack? All I want to do is make things right! I was born to be a pack Alpha, and I’m strong and ready to do it. You need help, and where is Arthur Pendragon? He’s lying impotent in the physician’s house. Where am I? Here. Strong. Capable.”

The crowd grows. Gwaine can see what the months of starvation have done to them. He feels it, too. If they agree with Ansel, he may not be able to stop it.

And if that happens, will Ansel find a way to kill Arthur before he can come to himself and fight for Merlin?

Gwaine can’t let this get out of hand.


	28. Gossip at the Bonfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those who have beefs about Arthur speak their mind to the newcomers.
> 
>  
> 
> The last bit's for oldcaliforniawoman.

“So, there are no humans left around here?” Ansel asks. He and the other new pack members sit around a bonfire talking. Mithian and Earc join them, as well as Allison and George.

“No, they’ve all either died or left in fear because of the wolf fever,” Allison says.

“The wolf fever was brought about due to Uther Pendragon’s action,” George says, and Allison elbows him in the ribs.

“Why are you bringing that up?”

“Because it’s true!” George rubs at his side.

“Are you trying to say this is the Alpha’s fault?”

“I was talking about his father!”

Mithian rolls her eyes and turns to Ansel.

“I’m not a worshipper of our Alpha,” she says. “I detect that you aren’t, either.”

“It’s his father I hate,” Ansel says, “but I have to say I don’t think Arthur is the best leader.”

“Oh, no argument there. He had me publicly whipped once. And he almost lost the pack to Declan—the Alpha of the Freemont pack. Had to let the man fuck him in order to win.”

“Mithian!” Allison protests, “You’re not exactly telling things right.”

“Exactly what did I say that wasn’t true?”

“You’re just making it sound all wrong!”

Earc puts his arm around Mithian’s shoulders. “Keep in mind that Mith here holds a bit of a grudge against Arthur. He’s not as bad as all that.”

“But you don’t think he’s a good leader?” Balfour leans in. “I’m just curious, because most of the pack seem to love him, and I’ve never seen him do anything that wasn’t completely forthright.”

Earc shrugs. “It’s unfair for me to say, because I haven’t been around very long.”

“But what’s your honest opinion?” Chad asks.

Earc takes a deep breath and lets it out, thinking. “Well, I think he might give his Vixen a little too much of a hand in things. We were all ready to fight, and the Vixen convinced Arthur we shouldn’t. Then the whole blight thing happened.”

“And Arthur is very possessive,” Mithian says. “He won’t have another mate in their relationship—I think it’s because he doesn’t want anyone else touching Merlin.”

“Ros really wanted to be mated by Arthur, but Arthur wouldn’t,” George says with a nod. “In the end, Ros mated with someone else, someone Arthur allowed Leon to kill.”

“How is that Arthur’s fault?” Allison asks.

“It was right there in the Alpha’s home! He could have put a stop to it. And then Arthur gave Ros to some other wolf, and Ros ended up being killed, and all his pups, too.”

Kasha gasps. “Are you kidding?”

“What are they saying?” Mordred takes a seat beside Kasha, who had ventured into the group as soon as it seemed that Balfour was back to normal. She keeps a wary eye on him all the same, although he acts as though nothing happened.

“We’re just telling some truths about the Alpha that nobody ever seems to bring up,” Mithian says.

“Such as?” Mordred asks, looking around at the faces lit by the fire.

“What happened with Ros,” George says. “And Mithian.”

Mordred rolls his eyes. “I hope you mentioned that Ros was a total psychopath that wouldn’t respect the fact that Arthur didn’t want to mate anyone else.”

“Or didn’t want them touching Merlin,” Adrien says. “That’s what they said.”

“So what? Cenred and I won’t mate anyone else. It’s a joint decision, as it was between the Alpha and Vixen. Mithian’s just full of sour grapes because Arthur caught her fucking a human, which was against the rules, and had her whipped for it. Then she ran to another pack and became that Alpha’s cock-sucking whore. Still, Arthur took her back in after he defeated Declan.”

Mithian glares at Mordred.

“You know it’s true, you bint.”

“Did he really let that Alpha fuck him in order to win?” Jude asks.

“He distracted him. Why are you all here having an Alpha-bashing party? You’d better talk about something else, or Arthur will hear about it when he gets better and you’ll be in for it. Rightfully, I say.”

“ _If_ he gets better.” Ansel’s eyes burn bright with the reflection of the fire.

“Why wouldn’t he, Ansel?” Mordred asks. “Do you know something we don’t?”

Ansel shrugs. “Nobody knows what’s wrong with him. Could be some kind of retribution for what his family did.” He leans forward, eyes narrowing. “The Pendragons killed our entire pack—women and children, too. They raped and pillaged.”

“I thought it was the Prime Alphas that did the killing,” Mordred says.

“Because Uther Pendragon led them there. And it was definitely Pendragon that did the raping and pillaging.”

“Arthur is not his father!”

“Enough!” Cendred’s voice cuts through the arguing. “Come, Mordred. And Kasha, I will escort you to the omega den.”

On their way across the compound, Mordred seethes at what had been said around the fire.

“That Ansel is turning people against Arthur.”

“Things like this are bound to happen within a pack, Mordred. It will be all right.” Cenred takes his mate’s hand in his.

“You don’t know that.”

“So Arthur really isn’t like they say?” Kasha asks. “He always seemed nice to me.”

“He’s a very good leader,” Mordred says. “Fair and just. He took me and my sister in, and he didn’t kick me out after my sister went whacko and did bad things. He even had his sister killed when she went against the pack. He also was very forgiving with Cenred about some stuff that went down when no other Alpha would have been. Believe me; Ansel wants Merlin, and he’s doing something to Arthur to keep him the way he is. He’s using magic, just like he did to Balfour, Cenred, and Leon on the way here.”

Cenred frowns. “I don’t remember any of it.”

“You were crazy with jealousy, Cenred. I wore your spunk for days! And Leon was just as bad, fawning over Arthur and being a brute to Will. And Balfour tried to rape Kasha!”

Cenred grunts, obviously thinking.

“There’s got to be some way to stop Ansel’s magic,” Kasha says.

“I hope so. Be careful who you talk to in the meantime,” Mordred warns. “The walls have ears.”

000

Arthur can hear Gaius talking to him as he runs a sponge over Arthur’s body, but Arthur can’t reply. He can barely open his eyes to get a glimpse of the room around him. He sees enough that he recognizes Gaius’ house, so he knows they are home—back at the ranch. But where is Merlin? Why isn’t Merlin with him, and why can’t Arthur move?

Fear, not for himself but for Merlin and the pack, coils in Arthur’s belly. Is he ill—paralyzed by some virus? Arthur wants to ask Gaius, but when he opens his mouth, nothing comes out.

“There, Alpha, all clean,” Gaius says, and covers Arthur with a sheet.

With extreme force of will, Arthur opens his eyes and blinks rapidly at Gaius.

“Arthur?” Gaius’ face looms over him. “Good, you can hear me, then. Everything’s fine. You’re back at the ranch and in my home. Burt’s here with us.”

Fuck that, Arthur wants to know about Merlin! He fills his lungs with air and whistles it through his lips.

“I’m doing everything I can to figure out what’s wrong with you, Arthur. So far, you seem healthy, but I won’t stop until I get you well again.” Gaius puts a hand on Arthur’s arm. “It’s been a tough few months…Don’t worry—we will all watch after Merlin and the children until you’re better.”

At least that’s good to know. Unable to keep his eyes open any longer and exhausted from trying, Arthur relinquishes himself to the pull of the darkness and lets it wash over him.

 

 


	29. Paralysed and Impotent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is frustratingly unable to do anything as Ansel taunts him.  
> Gwaine feels the weight of his responsibility to the pack.
> 
> Warnings: dub-con, unintentional voyeurism.

“Arthur? Arthur, can you hear me? Gaius…his eyes are fluttering!”

“He’s been doing that,” Gaius says. “I feel certain he can hear us.”

“Arthur.” Merlin turns back to the bed on which his mate lies. “We’re home and everything’s fine. I don’t want you to worry. I think maybe Ansel has something to do with what’s wrong with you. I’ll figure it out—Gwaine’s helping. Don’t worry, as your second, he’s emphatically told Ansel to back off.”

Merlin wraps his fingers around Arthur’s hand and bends close. “I love you.” He sprinkles kisses all over Arthur’s face before pressing his lips to Arthur’s mouth. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Arthur keenly feels the departure of his mate. He wants to call Merlin back, but he can’t; besides, he knows that Merlin both wants and needs to be with the children. It relieves him a bit to know that Gwaine has taken a stand as second.

Gaius turns out the light and pats Arthur reassuringly on the arm.

“Rest, Arthur. Try to sleep. We’ll figure something out tomorrow. Burt and I will be in the next room should you need us.”

Although Arthur has only had glimpses of Gaius since they returned, he can tell that the healer is looking fitter than ever. It isn’t long after the door shuts to the bedroom next door that Arthur hears the sounds of fervent and enthusiastic rutting.

It’s a bit more than Arthur ever wanted to know about Gaius and Burt, and he tries to block it out.

_“Burt! Give it to me harder! Oh, wolvesbane, yes! Right there!”_

Arthur wishes his could somehow plug his ears. He concentrates on the night sounds outside the window, and therefore hears the footsteps on the soft ground moments before the window is pushed open, the flimsy lock clattering to the floor.

 _“Gaius…you’re so tight!”_ Rhythmic thumping of the bed against the wall next door.

Arthur can’t turn his head; he can only lie there helplessly listening to someone climb over the sill just next to his bed. He wills his eyes open, but they only flutter shut again.

“Not such a high and mighty Alpha now.” Arthur easily recognizes Ansel’s voice. “Pity. Wonder who will take care of that pretty Vixen of yours?”

Fury surges through Arthur’s veins, and he tries hard to move…he wants to rip Ansel’s throat out with his teeth. Ansel chuckles.

“Don’t worry; I have every intention of saving the pack. And when I do, they’ll all be so happy with me, you’ll be nothing. They don’t think half as much of you as you think they do, Arthur. If you’re lucky, I’ll release you from this hold and maybe allow you to be a guard or something. By that time Merlin will know what having a real Alpha is like. One that will take charge, take many mates and populate the pack.”

Arthur feels Ansel’s fingers running through his hair and inwardly cringes.

“It must be terrible lying here so impotently. Poor Arthur.” Ansel runs his hand down Arthur’s face and neck to his chest. “You’re quite a looker yourself, Arthur.” Ansel tweaks first one nipple and then the other. “Consider yourself lucky I don’t go for blonds, or I’d have you right here, right now. I hear you’re not objectionable to a cock up your arse.”

Small puffs of air escape Arthur’s lips as he struggles to speak. He wants to curse Ansel, to tell him to keep his hands off Merlin, to threaten him within an inch of his worthless life. There’s no doubt in Arthur’s mind that, could move at this moment, Ansel’s life would be forfeit, no matter what he could supposedly do for the pack.

Arthur concentrates on trying to move a finger…just one finger…but even that proves too much for him.

“Ooo…are those tears coming out of the big, bad Alpha’s eyes?” Ansel asks. “Tch, tch. Frustrated, I’ll bet. I’m sure you feel pretty certain about your dear Merlin’s loyalty. It is rather impressive, I must admit. But that only makes me admire him more. You know he was mine before he ever was yours.” Ansel’s tone hardens, beating at Arthur with every word like hard granite to his heart.

“And what will happen when day after day goes by with you lying here, limbs atrophying? And Merlin and I working so diligently together to mingle our magic and save the pack. We have so much in common, Merlin and I. He’ll notice it, you know. And then…the day will come when Merlin will go into heat…”

Anger, pure and strong, runs through Arthur, shaking his body. In the next room the rutting reaches a crescendo.

“L…” Arthur tries to speak. “l-e-a—“

“Leave Merlin alone?” Ansel asks. “You wish.”

With that, the big Alpha climbs out the window and disappears into the night.

 

000

Phineas finishes braiding Nim’s hair and ties it with a ribbon.

“Thank you, love.” Nim leans back and kisses Phinny’s cheek. “Gwaine!”

Gwaine stands in the doorway looking around. “I’m going to have to go stay at Merlin’s,” he says. “I don’t trust Ansel at all.”

“So he’s really controlling the Alpha with his magic?” Phinny asks.

“He says he isn’t, but he has to be.” Gwaine sighs and comes forward. “I may have to spend a lot of time away from home until this is solved. Merlin needs my protection, and I have to maintain my role as leader until we can get Arthur up and going.”

Gwaine had stopped to look in the children’s room when he came into the house. Mary and Morpheus were curled up in wolf form, asleep, and the three boys Phinny had born him slept in a crib against the wall.

The loss of Pip still hurt. There isn’t a day that goes by that Gwaine doesn’t think of him, along with Elena and Sophia, but life goes on, and he is proud of his little family. He is happy.

Although Gwaine has always been equally pleased and proud to be Arthur’s second, nothing in him ever wanted to take over the pack and be Alpha. It was a heavy load on his shoulders knowing that only he stood between keeping the pack as it should be and having Ansel take it over completely. Merlin is a strong wolf, but as an omega, he’s at a disadvantage where alphas are concerned. If push comes to shove, no matter how much Merlin loves Arthur, he will have to obey Ansel if Ansel takes over.

Gwaine looks at Nim and Phineas, both such beautiful mates.

“Gwaine, you’ll be careful, won’t you?” Nim asks. “At this point, Ansel only has to kill you to get what he wants.”

“I’ll be careful,” Gwaine smiles.

“I have a few minutes,” he says, leaning in to kiss first Nim and then Phineas on the mouth. He reaches to trace the curve of Nim’s breast. “Let’s enjoy them.”


	30. Dire Straits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't looking good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting increasingly harder to name chapters! I just called this one "Merlin" because it's his pov. I will probaby rename it later.

As Merlin leaves Gaius’, he notes Ansel standing across the field talking with George. Merlin stiffens, wondering if Ansel will come over to him, but the alpha remains content watching him from afar.

A young girl passes Merlin on her way to Gaius’ house, and he recognizes her as one of the “wonderkind”—children of the new generation who all have some kind of special power or insight. Excellent in science and math, Fara’s an apprentice to Gaius and appears to have completely matured to mating age, just as Audrey and Clyde have. Thinking of Audrey and Clyde, Merlin realizes that they are expected to arrive that afternoon with the rest of Will and Leon’s children. Merlin has seen little of Will since the group returned from their trek, both omegas completely involved in reuniting with their pups.

Merlin decides not to go home just yet and walks to Gilly and Daegal’s house.

“Merlin! So good to see you!” Daegal opens the door wide for Merlin to come in. “How’s Arthur?” Daegal offers a seat to Merlin as Gilly disappears into the kitchen to get tea.

“The same.”

“Any idea what it is?”

“I know what it is, alright; It’s Ansel’s magic. He’s keeping Arthur comatose so he can take over the pack.”

“He claims he’s not,” Daegal says.

“Of course he claims he’s not! He wants to seem innocent, like he’s here to save the pack, but the book Gaius has plainly states ‘only the Chosen Leader can rectify and change the tide.’”

“But if the pack chooses Ansel over Arthur, he will be the ‘Chosen Leader.’”

Merlin stands, shaking with rage and indignation.

“Are you on his side? Are you turning your back on a leader who has done nothing but good by you and everyone else in order to believe a newcomer?” 

“No, of course not! I’m just looking at this from all angles.” Daegal quickly tries to calm Merlin.

“I had a few cakes hidden in the cupboard.” Gilly walks in with a tray. Taking in the strained faces of the two men, he frowns.

“What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

“Merlin is upset,” Daegal says.

“Damned right, I’m upset!” Merlin begins to pace. “Everyone seems to think Ansel should be pack leader in Arthur’s stead. What is it that Arthur’s done to make them turn on him like this?”

“We all don’t think that.” Gilly puts the tray down and goes to Merlin. “Really, Merlin. It’s just that the pack are scared. It’s been so hard without enough to eat.”

Merlin relaxes a little. He knows how hard it’s been—Collum’s told him. Merlin already feels guilty that Collum has used his connection to a hermit living in the woods in order to obtain goat’s milk and cheese for Merlin and Arthur’s children when other children have been suffering.

He sits and takes a deep breath followed by a sip of tea, which is weak due to the fact that Gilly is probably using tea bags over and over until there’s absolutely no flavor left in them. Tears spring to Merlin’s eyes. He misses Arthur—painfully—and he doesn’t know what he’s going to do.

“It’s all right, Merlin,” Daegal puts a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll help you figure something out.”

A rustle draws all three men’s attention, and they look around.

“What was that?” Merlin asks.

“I don’t know, but I know what I expect.” Gilly stands, hands on hips. “Jib! Is that you? You’d better quit your spying and show yourself!”

Merlin is amazed when a young man suddenly materializes by the couch.

“I thought so,” Gilly says. “Don’t you know it’s considered poor manners to eavesdrop?”

Jib, all pointy elbows and sharp lines, hangs his head.

“Sorry Gilly, Daegal. Sorry, Vixen.”

“How did you just spring up out of nowhere?” Merlin gapes.

Jib scratches the back of his neck, eyes still trained on the floor, and shrugs.

“He can make himself invisible,” Daegal says. “It drives us crazy. Maybe now that he’s of mating age, he’ll get a life and quit spying on us. Probably hoping me and Gilly would be going at it so he could watch, the bugger.”

“No, I wasn’t!” Jib lifts his chin. “I followed the Vixen here. I was with Fara when I saw him, only Fara didn’t know it.” He colors.

“Ah, so interested in Fara, are you?” Gilly grins.

Jib looks away, face scarlet.

“Jib,” Merlin says, “you may not go around spying on people. If you have something you want to know, ask me outright.”

“I’m worried about the Alpha,” Jib mumbles.

“We all are,” Gilly says.

“He’s a good pack leader! Much better than Declan. I hated him.”

“Most people did,” Daegal says.

“Arthur would appreciate your loyalty.” Merlin smiles at the boy. “Would you like to come back to mine with me? You can keep me company, and we’ll get to know one another better.”

Jib’s face lights up, and he nods eagerly.

Merlin thanks Gilly and Daegal for the tea. He’d come there to talk about the wonderkinds, but speaking to one of them personally is be even better. He leaves with Jib, and they traverse the compound to Merlin and Arthur’s house on the far side. Merlin can just see the top of the roof as they pass Gaius’. As they skirt Gaius' property, Merlin feels the pull of his bond to Arthur. He wants nothing more than to sit by Arthur’s side all day, but that wouldn’t do anything to solve the problems that plague them. He’ll go back to see Arthur in the afternoon—perhaps taking the children, although maybe that would be a bad idea; it would frighten them to see their father that way.

“Merlin!” Gwaine catches up with them, panting a little. “Where have you been?”

“I went to see Arthur and then over to Gilly and Daegal’s.” Merlin looks over to Jib, but he’s gone. A slight touch to his hand lets Merlin know that he’s still there, only invisible.

“Jib, show yourself. I told you it’s rude not to let people know you’re around.”

Jib materializes, and Merlin can see by Gwaine’s face that he’s amazed.

“I’ve heard of you—but never seen you do that before. Jib, is it?”

Jib nods. Gwaine turns back to Merlin.

“I need to keep an eye on you. I don’t trust Ansel.”

“Believe me, I don’t either.”

“He wants to call a council meeting.”

Merlin stops walking. “What?”

“He wants to claim his place as pack leader.”

“Gwaine, you can’t let that happen!” Merlin grabs Gwaine’s arm and squeezes it before abruptly letting go, having forgotten his place for a moment; Gwaine is a powerful Alpha and Arthur’s second—Merlin should be more respectful than that. The testosterone the alpha emits should be enough to remind Merlin of that, but with all the stress and worry over Arthur, he’s not himself these days.

“I’ll do everything I can to stop it, Merlin. As Arthur’s second, I’m rightfully in charge of the pack.”

“But…with the blight, and everyone’s so desperate…”

“I really don’t think Ansel will be able to convince the council that he should take over, but he probably will convince them that he should work with you to save the pack. You won’t be able to avoid that.” Gwaine kicks at some dirt with his foot. “We really are in dire straits. People are eating whatever they can catch in the forest. Whatever we’ve had stored is ruined, and there are no crops.”

“I know.” Merlin gnaws at his lower lip. “Believe me, I know, Gwaine.”

 


	31. Jib

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jib's pov.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have cleaned up the previous chapter. Sorry it was so rushed and didn't read very well.
> 
> Warning for threatened non-con. (Not Merlin, relax!) I know this has been angsty--just hold on a bit longer.

Jib likes the Vixen, and he likes the big house. He’s looked at it from the outside plenty of times, and even thought about making himself invisible and going inside, but of course he didn’t. He isn’t a _creeper._

Sure, when he’d been under the care of Daegal and Gilly, he’d witnessed them going at it, plenty of times, but that was sort of inevitable, since they went at it quite a lot and still do, he’s sure. Besides, back then, Jib did it just to get away from the other pups, not so he could spy on those two. The only pup he really liked was Fara, and she was always busy doing math or something like that, and Jib knew where the candy stash was and liked to go to a corner and snack on it.

Merlin and the Alpha’s pups are a lot of fun, and Jib thinks he could really develop a crush on Collum, because…hot! But then there’s Sigmund, and it’s tough to hate him just for being with Collum, because Sigmund is hot all on his own, and really nice, too.

 _Everyone_ is so nice, Jib really doesn’t want to leave, even though it’s time for dinner. Merlin has spent a lot of the afternoon talking to him, asking him questions about his ability. Jib tried to answer, but he really has no idea why he can turn invisible and others can’t.

“Stay to eat,” Merlin says, “unless you have to be home?”

“I don’t,” Jib says quickly. “There’s no one there but me.”

“You live alone?”

“Yeah. In the shed by the big house.”

“Pete’s house?” Merlin frowns. Pete died of the fever, but Mithian still lives there. When Jib nods, Merlin thinks for a moment.

“Does Mithian know you live in the shed?”

“Sure. She’s seen me plenty of times. I was afraid she’d chase me out, but she hasn’t. I think she’s been too busy with Earc.”

“Okay, well, stay for dinner.” Merlin seems troubled, but he doesn’t say anything else. After dinner, he tells Jib to just stay the night, since it’s dark out.

Jib is more than happy to do so. He hates the shed and its weird smells and lack of light. He really hates the rats, and has to stay in wolf form to keep them away. To show he’s grateful, he plays with the pups while Collum and Sigmund take some of them to bathe a few at a time. Collum says if they bathe them all at once, water gets absolutely everywhere, and Jib can believe it because the pups are really rambunctious.

Gwaine comes to fetch Merlin and they disappear for a while—Jib thinks to go and see the Alpha at Gaius’. He’s sure he’s right when Merlin comes back looking very down. Jib hates to see the Vixen so sad. No one in the entire pack is nicer than Merlin is. Everyone in the pack loves him, and most love Arthur, too, although lately Jib has heard some talk.

It’s not that Jib tries to eavesdrop, but when people come around the shed, he gets scared and goes invisible. Sometimes he can’t even help it; it’s like a defense mechanism or something. Over the past few months, he’s heard various wolves grumbling about their situation. The less they have to eat and the longer it goes on, the more vigorous the grumbling. First the accusations were centered on Uther Pendragon, the last Alpha of the pack and Arthur’s father. Then, probably because there’s no use cursing a dead man, the blame slowly shifted to Arthur. They think he’s done something secretly to bring this all upon them. Because of this, Jib isn’t so sure what Gwaine told Merlin is true…the council might very well let Ansel become Alpha, or at least allow him to fight Gwaine for the title.

It doesn’t surprise Jib that Gwaine doesn’t realize how bad it’s gotten—no one is going to talk shit about Arthur in the presence of the Alpha’s Second. Everyone knows how close the two wolves are, and it would nothing short of masochistic to insult one in the front of the other.

After the children are in bed, Jib washes off and goes to the guest room Merlin showed him earlier. He’s surprised to find Merlin there waiting for him with a tall glass of milk.

“Here, have some goat’s milk,” Merlin says. “I know dinner was sparse—this will help you sleep.”

Jib gladly drinks up the thick, delicious milk, wondering where Merlin got it but not asking.

“Jib, what happened to your parents?” Merlin asks from the window seat where he’s been watching Jib drink.

Jib licks the milk off his lips. He hates to stop drinking to answer, but the Vixen deserves his respect.

“I don’t know who my father is. For a while I thought it was Declan, the Alpha of my old pack, but I think if it were, he would have taken my mother as a mate, because he really wanted a son. I would have been his first son rather than Morpheus, then. And the way he went at Phineas, trying to get him with pups, showed he was desperate.” Jib drinks some more of the goat’s milk before resuming.

“My mother and I had a little house near Declan’s, and Declan sometimes stayed the night. Which, you know, is why I thought Declan might be my da. Mum drowned when swimming when I was still very small, and then the neighbors took me in. They were old, and died just before Arthur killed Declan. I had to get by on my own then. If Arthur hadn’t killed Declan, I probably would have died of starvation. When we became part of this pack, I stayed at Gilly and Daegal’s and started sleeping in the shed.” Seeing Merlin’s face, Jib hurries on to say, “Gilly and Daegal didn’t know that. They thought I lived with one of the other pups. And Pete didn’t know I lived in his shed. I was always very careful not to be seen.”

“Why didn’t you tell them?” Merlin asks.

“I was tired of people looking at me like I was a charity case. It’s always been that way—I don’t know the exact circumstances of my birth, but…” he shrugs, not wanting to speculate about it, and drains his milk glass.

Merlin stands and takes the glass.

“You are welcome to stay here, Jib. In fact, I really don’t want you to return to that shed. If you don’t like it here, I’ll make arrangements somewhere else. Don’t look like that—I don’t pity you. I admire you for getting along on your own. But everyone deserves a little help; I had it when I was young.”

“What happened to you?” The thought that he was in any way like the Vixen filled Jib with pride.

“That’s a story for another time. Get some rest. Oh,” Merlin stops at the door. “You’re not an omega, or I’d know it. The same for an alpha. So you’re a beta, then?”

Jib nods. It must show in his face that he doesn’t think much of being a beta, for Merlin looks at him rather sternly.

“Betas are special, Jib. Don’t ever think otherwise. Each has something important to give to the pack. I wouldn’t be surprised if your ability to become invisible isn’t related to being a beta. But use it wisely, yeah?”

Jib promises he will.

And he keeps his promise, for the most part. But he’s only human, so to speak, and Fara goes to the lake almost every evening to swim.

As he watches her shed her clothing and walk into the cool water, pale body disappearing below the surface inch by tantalizing inch, he gets as close as he can without her detecting his presence. If he were to get into the water, the ripples would alert her, so he contents himself with standing on the edge and watching her swim. When she tires and turns to float on her back, his eyes roam over her pert breasts and long legs with the thatch of brown hair in between.

He’s painfully hard, but he won’t make this act even more lewd by yanking off while watching her; he’ll save that for later when he’s alone.

A sound from the tree line catches Jib's attention, and he turns to look. Fara hears it too, for she rolls off her back and treads water.

“Who’s there?” she calls.

“It’s only me.”

Ansel, the large alpha that Merlin seems to hate and blame for the Alpha’s illness, appears from out of the forest.

“The water looks fine.”

“It is,” Fara frowns, sinking even lower under the surface so only her head shows. “But…please turn your head so I can get out and get dressed. I’m finished with my swim, and you can have the lake to yourself.”

“Don’t leave.” Ansel strips off his clothes, ignoring everything else Fara had said. When he’s naked, his large alpha cock juts out from his body. Jib knows Fara’s a beta and not as susceptible to an alpha’s order as an omega would be, but Jib can’t blame her for being scared of Ansel’s large and domineering presence. She doesn’t move as Ansel executes a perfect dive off a high rock and swims to where she’s managed to move to the shore.

“You’re very pretty,” Ansel says, stroking a finger down Fara’s arm.

“Please let me go.” Fara looks frightened, and Jib creeps closer.

“I don’t think so.” Ansel kisses Fara’s shoulder.

“Stop, please.”

Ansel doesn’t stop, and that’s enough for Jib. He picks up the largest rock he can find and drops it on Ansel’s head.

Ansel falls.

Fara stands and stares at the inert body of the alpha before turning her amazed gaze to the rock.

Grabbing her clothes, she takes off at a run.

 


	32. Cloud Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's dream leads him to an unexpected source of help.

Lance is certain the place he dreamed of the night before must be someplace nearby; yet, this is his third time walking the outer perimeter of the ranch without any luck. The afternoon sun beats on his back and sweat begins to trickle down from his hairline.

And then he spots it, a small indentation in the brush.

Pushing the tangle of limbs away that concealed the hole in the side of the rock face just beyond the fence line, Lance crawls through, relieved when he’s able to stand upright after only a few yards of crawling on hands and knees in the darkness. It’s a cavern—dark and musty, but a faint glow of light in the distance tells Lance that there really is something there.

“Hello?” he calls out, his voice reverberating off the walls. A dripping sound tells him there’s a water supply somewhere close-by.

He keeps walking, getting closer and closer to the light, which grows until it’s all Lance can see. Momentarily blinded, Lance holds his arm in front of his eyes, blinking rapidly.

“Who’s there?” he asks, and this time someone answers.

“I am here. My name is Cloud Dog.”

“Could you possibly tame the light so I can see?” Lance closes his eyes against the unbearable brightness. When he opens them again, it’s dim but not as dark as it had been at the front of the cavern.

Standing in front of him is a man half Lance’s size with a grizzled beard and eyes of an almost orange color. The cavern opens up into a room of sorts with a small fire and pictures drawn on the walls. Various implements sit on some crude shelves in the corner. A passageway to the left seems to lead to the origin of the dripping sounds.

“Hello, I’m Lance.”

“I know,” the man says.

“Is your name really Cloud Dog?”

“Yes. Welcome, brother.”

“Brother?”

“You are my brother, yes, and I am yours. Have a seat.”

Cloud Dog indicates a smooth log by the fire, and Lance sits. Other than the odd shade of his eyes and his small stature, Cloud Dog is average-looking in appearance. He wears something that appears to be a long sack, tied at the shoulders.

“Are you a wolf?” Lance asks.

In answer, Cloud Dog morphs into a small, sturdy wolf with an amber coat. He lets out a bark and then shifts back into a man again.

“Why do you live in this hole?”

“I like it here. It is my home.”

“Are you spying on us?”

“I am looking out for you.”

Lance wants to point out to the man that if he’s really looking out for them, he’s doing a piss-poor job of it, considering they’re all starving; but he holds it in.

“Why do you call me brother?” he asks instead. “Is it because we are both wolves?”

“You dreamed of my existence?”

Lance nods.

“You were once beta. My father changed you.” Cloud Dog hangs a tin pot over the fire and sits on the log on the opposite side of the fire from Lance.

“Your father? It was the Father of Wolves who changed me.”

“When you were at death’s door, you were given a choice, and you chose to live as omega rather than move on into the next world.”

“How do you know this?” Lance stares into the orange eyes, which was rather like looking into an apocalyptic sun, particularly now when they appear to shine with an inner, knowing light.

“I know all that has to do with my father.”

“Who is...?”

“Father Wolf is my father. And my mother is an elder. You knew her as Miriam.”

Lance frowns. Miriam. It sounds vaguely familiar.

“She was once a member of your pack, but now she resides in a cave coated with crystals.”

“Where is this cave?”

“Not even I know that. I haven’t seen my mother in many, many suns.”

Lance thinks. Miriam. Miriam. From where does he know that name?

The water boils and Cloud Dog picks up three tin cups. He sprinkles herbs in each and then pours water over them.

“Three?”

“We are expecting company.”

Before Lance can say anything else, there’s a scraping sound behind them and Merlin appears from the front of the cave.

“Welcome, Sharer of Dreams.” Cloud Dog doesn’t look up from where he stirs the cups. Merlin looks at Lance, and Lance lifts his arm in an invitation for Merlin to come sit beside him. Merlin cuddles thankfully into Lance’s side, comforted by the other omega.

“You followed me,” Lance says. Earlier, Lance had gone to Gaius’ to lay hands on Arthur, and Merlin had been there.

“No. I went home to nap. A dream of this place woke me.”

“Merlin, this is Cloud Dog. He says he’s a son of the Father Wolf.”

“Hello,” Merlin says.

“Welcome, brother.”

“Merlin, do you know someone named Miriam?” Lance asks.

“No. I can’t think of anyone,” Merlin frowns. “Wait—Miriam. Wasn’t that Freya’s mother’s name? I never met her, of course, but I know Freya mentioned her.”

“Oh. Yes. But she died years ago. She’s the one that had all the pups from the unknown sire.”

“Did she die, or did she disappear?” Cloud Dog asks, passing the cups of tea. It is evident to Lance that Cloud Dog knows the answer and is just prompting them.

“I thought she died,” Lance says. “I don’t know—I’d have to ask Titus.”

“I did wonder about Titus being Freya’s father yet a beta,” Merlin says. “I even wondered if he had some special ability.”

“No. No one ever asked how Miriam came to be with pups. It was just an odd thing about their family. We didn’t want to embarrass Titus, and he always called the children his. But I remember my brother telling me once that Miriam always disappeared when in heat.”

“She mated with Father Wolf,” Cloud Dog says. “Many times. She’s had many children with him, although I do not believe Freya was his. She came from another wolf who took Miriam without her permission. He caught her when she was in heat and had not yet left to see Father Wolf. Agravaine was his name.”

Merlin and Lance stare.

“Agravaine was Freya’s father?”

Cloud Dog nods.

“And the Father Wolf is the father of the others?”

“As he is yours, Merlin. And Ansel’s. He is the father of many, even some from other packs. It is necessary when times like these have been prophesied.”

“What? Wait a minute. My father was Balfour…”

“In name only.”

“Are you saying my mother went off and mated with the Father of Wolves?” Merlin looks abashed, and Lance puts a hand on his arm.

“Only the once, yes. No one can resist when our father calls. He bid Ansel’s mother to him, also. And Ansel’s father’s mother before him.”

Merlin shakes his head.

“What are you saying? That Ansel and I are brothers? That Ansel and his father are brothers? What about my mother? According to the Anunnaki, she had magic. Please don’t tell me she was my sister!”

“No, Merlin. She had magic of her own. Awesome magic that the Anunnaki immediately recognized in you. And combined with our father’s magic, it makes you very special indeed.”

“But I haven’t even been able to tap into my magic. Ansel has. Perhaps he’s the special one.”

“No, my brother. Ansel has magic, yes, but you are the powerful one.”

“But…but…didn’t I have to find Ansel to end the famine? To save our pack?” Merlin twists the tail of his shirt between his fingers, and Lance can see he’s completely on edge. He rubs Merlin’s lower arm, trying to comfort him.

“It is so.” Cloud Dog nods.

“If Ansel’s magic isn’t special, why do I need it at all?”

“Ansel has magic, yes, bestowed upon him by our father during conception. It is his gift, but he knows not how to use it properly, and it is weak. Had the decimation of your pack not occurred, he would have taken his place as Alpha and his magic would have died. Because of the events Uther Pendragon put in place, Ansel’s magic sat in stasis until you activated it by touch.”

Merlin clenches his fists.

“What of Arthur? How can I help him? You have to tell me.”

“Things will become clear, my brother.”

Merlin stands, upsetting his tea cup, and Lance stands, too.

Merlin takes a step forward.

“You call me brother, but how can I believe you? This entire story sounds crazy! If what you say is true, you have to help me!”

Cloud Dog’s orange eyes flare for a moment and then dim.

“Ansel has harmed Arthur, but he has not the knowledge to bring him out of it, even if he wanted to. For that you need a crystal.”

“A crystal?” Merlin’s eyes are full of hope.

“From the cave where Miriam dwells?” Lance asks.

Cloud Dog nods.

“But can we even find it?”

“I know not where it is.”

“But…”

“That is all I can give you, brothers.”

Merlin looks like he wants to cry. Lance takes his hand, squeezing it.

“Come on, Merlin. At least we know something now.”

When they exit the cave, it is dark.

“How long have we been in there?” Lance asks.

“Merlin!” Will comes running from Gaius’ house, his form a vague shadow in the distance. “Merlin! Lance!”

“What is it?” Merlin takes off running toward Will. “Is it Arthur? Has something happened?”

When they reach one another, Will is breathing hard

“No, it’s Ansel. He’s been knocked out. Leon found him by the lake. They’ve taken him to Gaius’. Come on.”

Lance catches up with them.

“I’m going to see Titus,” Lance tells Merlin. “I want to see what he has to say about all this.”

 


	33. The Crystal

As they walk toward Gaius’ house, Merlin tells Will about Cloud Dog. By the time they’re inside, Will is shaking his head in wonder.

“So you’re telling me the Father Wolf’s been poking it into wolves all over the place, spreading his seed around for decades?”

When Merlin nods, a full-body shudder runs over Will.

“I feel like washing out my mind. I might be mated to my own brother!”

“I don’t think you and Leon have to worry,” Merlin says as he stops in front of the first bedroom, distracted by the sight of Ansel lying on a bed with his head bandaged. “You two don’t have anything special about you.”

“Well, thanks a lot!”

“I’m sorry,” Merlin suddenly turns and flings his arms around Will, hugging him tightly. “I don’t know what I’m saying. Of course you’re special—you’re my best friend!”

“It’s okay.” Will hugs Merlin back. “All right, all right. I know you’re worried. Maybe since Ansel’s out of commission, Arthur will come back around, yeah? It’s possible.”

“Cloud Dog said we need some crystal from Miriam’s cave. He said she’s an elder somewhere, but he doesn’t know where her cave even is.”

Will bites his lip in thought.

“Wait. This sounds awfully familiar. Where did I hear about something like that?” He leans against the wall, looking off into space. Merlin walks into the room where Arthur lies and bends down, kissing him softly. He takes his hand.

“Arthur?”

No response. Tears choke Merlin, and he sniffs them back.

“Please wake up,” Merlin says wetly. “I need you.” He strokes Arthur’s hair away from his face. “Arthur I miss you. I love you. The children want to see you.”

“I’ve got it!” Will yells, running into the room. “Earc! It’s Earc!”

“What are you talking about?” Merlin looks over his shoulder at a triumphant Will.

“Earc told us he got a crystal from an elder’s cave! It has to be the same woman!”

Merlin turns and grabs Will by the shoulders.

“When was this? When did he tell you?”

“Back at the bonfire when he first got here. He was talking to me and Leon and said he’d once had Wolf Fever and that an old woman up in the mountains nursed him. She had crystals in her cave, and he took one with him when he left.”

“Where is Earc now?” Merlin squeezes Will so hard, Will flinches.

“I haven’t seen him since we got back.”

“Gaius!” Merlin turns for the door.

“I’m in here, Merlin. Please don’t shout.”

Merlin finds Gaius standing over Ansel’s bed. Ansel’s eyes are open and they watch Merlin.

“Where is Earc?” Merlin asks.

“Earc? Well…let’s see.”

“Please, Gaius! I need him. He has something that can help Arthur.”

“Have you tried Mithian’s? He stays with her most of the time, I think.”

“Thanks.” He starts to run out and then stops. “Is Ansel going to be all right?”

“He should be. He has a slight concussion.”

Merlin runs through the darkness all the way to Mithian’s and finds her upstairs cleaning the toilet.

“Where’s Earc? It’s really important.”

“Hello to you, too.” Mithain scrubs at the stains without more than a brief glance at Merlin.

“Hello, Mithian. Where’s Earc? Please tell me.”

“Am I his keeper?”

“I thought you two were friends.”

“We are.” Mithian sighs and takes off her rubber gloves. “That doesn’t mean I know where he is, though. He might be swimming.” When Merlin makes for the door, she adds, “Or he might be out foraging for food or hunting or something else. I have no idea.”

“Do you know anything about a crystal?” Merlin stops.

“You mean the glass thing he keeps in his room?”

“His room here?”

“Yeah, down the hall on the right.”

Merlin takes off in that direction. The crystal sits on the little desk in the corner as though it’s been waiting for Merlin. Merlin grabs it, staring at it for a moment before taking off for Gaius’ again with it in his hand.

When Merlin runs in the door, Will jumps up from Gaius’ couch, a handful of cookies in his hand and at least two in his mouth.

“Di’yoo fine it?”

Merlin waves the crystal in the air and hurries to Arthur’s room. Will follows.

“Now to figure out what to do with it,” Merlin says.

“Wave it over him.”

Merlin tries that.

“Touch him with it. No—put it in his mouth!”

Merlin gives Will a look over his shoulder.

“Why?”

Will shrugs. “I don’t know. Might work. Hey…maybe it works like a butt plug.”

“Will!”

Merlin sighs and places the crystal on Arthur’s chest. When nothing happens, he puts it in Arthur’s hand, wrapping his fingers around it.

“Do you think it’s a lie? This thing may not do anything at all.” He sniffles. “If Ansel getting hurt didn’t break the spell, and this crystal doesn’t do anything, what am I going to do?”

“Aw, don’t cry, Merlin. We’ll think of something.”

“What? There isn’t anything.” Merlin buries his face in Arthur’s stomach.

“Merlin…his eyes…”

Merlin lifts his head. Arthur’s eyes are open. Not fluttering like before, but really open.

“Arthur?” Tears drip down Merlin’s nose into his mouth.

“Look at the crystal,” Will says.

It’s radiating light, glowing in Arthur’s clenched hand. And Arthur’s clenching his hand himself; Merlin isn’t helping him.

Arthur moves his leg.

“Gods! It’s working!” Merlin looks over his shoulder at Will, whose grin matches his. “It’s really working!”

Gaius walks into the room and stops when he sees Arthur.

“Remarkable.”

Arthur’s mouth works silently as though he’s trying to say something.

“Easy, Arthur,” Gaius says. “It will come. Give it time.”

Merlin lifts Arthur’s hand that holds the crystal and cradles it in his own. He can feel the power radiating off the glass, facets of light gleaming in the lamp light. Gradually, Arthur lifts his other arm and touches Merlin’s hair.

“Mer-lin.”

“Oh, Arthur, thank the gods!” Merlin buries his face in Arthur’s neck. Arthur tries to rise, but Gaius stops him.

“No, Arthur. Rest.”

“The pack…”

“Everything is fine for the moment. You need to regain your strength.”

Merlin kisses Arthur’s cheek.

“I’m so glad you’re all right. I’ll be right back—there’s something I have to do.”

In the hallway, Will stands talking to Lance.

“I spoke to Titus,” Lance says. “His mate’s name was Miriam, and Titus admits that he never knew who sired their children. He was just thankful to have children at all. He also says that Miriam evidently left him for someone else, but those who wanted to help Titus save face made up the story about her dying of Wolf Fever.”

“The crystal worked,” Merlin says. “Arthur’s coming around. Now I’m going to go talk to Ansel.”

When Merlin walks into the other room, though, Ansel is gone.


	34. No Reasoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Merlin reconnect after the scare of Arthur's illness.  
> Brief family moment.  
> Ansel is a dick, but we knew that already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you who continue to comment and support. I can't believe you've stuck with it all the way into part 3! I felt Merlin and Arthur deserved a little alone time in this chapter.

The half-moon shines in the window onto Arthur as he lies flat on his back, hands above his head. He’s cresting on a wave of delicious pleasure, hips moving, hands clutching. He lifts his eyes to watch as the most beautiful man in his world rides him, damp with sweat; plump, sweet lips parted; bright blue eyes shining down on Arthur, hips rocking backward and forward, backward and forward, like the tide. They both shatter on the next receding wave, and Arthur’s knot forms, kissed by Merlin’s opening and gradually consumed by it, making Merlin shudder once more and throw his head back on a keen of pleasure.

Arthur wants that fine, pale neck and tugs at Merlin’s forearms, bringing him within reach. He licks, broad swipes of his tongue, tasting sweat, and farther up, tears as they drip from Merlin’s chin.

“Don’t cry,” Arthur croons, turning them and arranging Merlin so that he lies beneath Arthur, the knot keeping them connected. He kisses all over Merlin’s face: eyes, cheekbones, temples, ears, jaw, finally landing on that beautiful mouth and sucking on each lip in turn. The house is quiet, the children finally in bed after all the excitement of having Arthur come home.

“I was so worried about you,” Merlin says.

“I was worried about you, too. I couldn’t speak, but I could hear you.”

“Did you?” Merlin’s eyes gleam in the moonlight. “Everything I said?”

“Everything.” Arthur kisses Merlin again, harder this time, tongue seeking entrance, and Merlin opens to him as he always does, giving everything he has to his true-mate.

“I have so much to tell you.” Merlin runs his hand up Arthur’s bare back and then down again to rest on the swell of his arse.

“Later,” Arthur kisses the tip of Merlin’s nose and then begins to thrust, moving them both forward on the bed, sending tremors first throughout each in turn, and they both come together.

When the sun rises over the horizon, Arthur takes Merlin from behind, rough and urgent. Their grunts and groans are the only sounds in the room, other than the whispered words, “Need you. Love you. Never leave me.”

Over breakfast, Arthur takes the salt shaker from Em.

“No salting your cereal.”

“But it’s good!”

“No, it isn’t. You say it’s good, then you salt it and won’t eat it because it’s awful. We can’t waste food.”

Em pouts, and Artie passes him the pepper when the adults aren’t looking.

“Vick said we’re starving,” Stacy says.

“We’re not starving,” Merlin tells her. “Eat your cereal and drink all that goat’s milk.” He gives Matthew a bite of oatmeal while Arthur feeds Michael from the same bowl.

After the children are finished, Sigmund takes them outside while Collum cleans up the nursery.

“I’m going to do something about this today,” Arthur says.

Merlin looks at his mate warily.

“What are you going to do, exactly?”

“I’m going to find Ansel and end this.”

“Arthur. You know what has to be done and that I have to do it.”

“I’m done feeling useless, Merlin!”

“You’re not useless.” Merlin puts a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “You have to let me do this, Arthur.”

Arthur looks away for a moment before wrapping his hand around Merlin’s, fingers entwining.

“I’m going with you.”

“Of course. I never thought otherwise.”

Ansel is with Chad and Jude, who have taken over one of the empty cottages. When Jude opens the door, he immediately steps back for them to enter.

“Why did you run from Gaius’s house?” Merlin asks Ansel, who sits at the table repairing the sole of his shoe.

“I didn’t run. I didn’t need to be there anymore.” Ansel’s eyes rake over Merlin in a proprietary way that brings Arthur’s hackles up.

“We need to talk.” Merlin sits down at the table. Arthur remains standing by the wall. Jude and Chad look at one another and decide to sit at the far end of the table.

“Have you come to your senses, Merlin?” Ansel asks, pulling the shoe on.

“Ansel, I’ve found something out.” Merlin proceeds to tell him everything that Cloud Dog told Merlin and Lance. “So you see,” he says when he finishes, “we aren’t meant to be mated. Our parents probably didn’t know anything beyond the fact that we needed to be together should the worst happen. They were just players in all this. The Father Wolf meant us to be instruments in saving the wolves that are left.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Ansel.”

“It is! You and I brothers? Can’t you feel what’s between us, Merlin? Ordained since birth?” Ansel reaches out and grabs Merlin’s hand, and Arthur growls low in his throat. He doesn’t move from where he’s standing, though, because he’s promised Merlin to let him handle it.

A flash of light shoots through Merlin’s brain at the touch. He sees an endless tide of Anunnaki; a blighted land; the wolf with one brown and one blue eye; dead wolf upon dead wolf piled high, bodies emaciated, white bones glaring in a hot, relentless sun. Merlin cries out and pulls his hand away.

“Don’t you understand that’s what will happen to us if we don’t combine our magic to end this?”

Even as Merlin says it, he’s hit with the fear—what if he can’t work his magic? What if he can’t make it happen? Just that morning, while Arthur showered, he had tried to bring his magic forth, with no result. At this moment, Ansel is more magically strong than Merlin, and it makes it difficult for Merlin to convince him of anything.

Ansel stands.

“I’ve called a council meeting.”

“What?” Arthur straightens, muscles tightening. “What gives you the right?”

“I called it because you were incapacitated and unable to perform your duties.”

“I was incapacitated by _you_!”

“You have not been a good leader,” Ansel says. “Look what’s happening to your pack! You must step down and let me take over. These ridiculous stories about Father Wolf trying to help us are only a fairytale. The truth is that Merlin and I were meant to save us all. We should reign together and free the wolves from this torment you and your selfish father brought upon us! The council members will see my side of it. We meet in an hour by the lake.”

Merlin stood.

“You are making a mistake, Ansel.”

“Have you worked your magic yet, Merlin?” Ansel asked.

Merlin looked at Arthur, then at Jude and at Chad.

“No.”

“Have you stopped to consider it’s because you need me in order to do it? We must be together in every possible way.”

“Did you miss the part where I said you’re my brother?”

“Come, Merlin,” Arthur says from the door. “It’s no use arguing with him. We’ll put it to the council.” They leave.

 

 


	35. Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for voyeurism, female alpha, dirty talk, and cupcakes!
> 
> Mordred and Cenred have sex in front of the window.  
> Leon pleasures Will.  
> Sully goes into heat.

Mordred stands at the window, watching members of the pack slowly make their way toward the lake.

Strong arms wrap around his waist, and a long, hard cock nudges its way inside him.

Mordred pulls in a breath and grabs the window frame.

“Cenred! Give a guy some warning!”

Cenred just laughs and thrusts.

“A little horny this mor—or—ning?” Mordred pushes back on the next thrust.

“This is what you get when you stand naked, tempting me with that gorgeous tush of yours,” Cenred says into Mordred’s ear just before licking it.

Mordred cries out when the next thrust takes him off his feet. Mordred holds him about the waist, pumping furiously until he knots.

“Daddy! Daddy!”

“Fuck,” Cenred swears.

“Great, and we’re stuck.” Mordred pants heavily, Cenred’s knot pushing into his prostate, making him splash clear omega spunk onto the window pane. Wanda, the oldest female wolf in the pack, gives him a dirty look as she passes outside the window. Mordred shoots her the finger.

Cenred chuckles into Mordred’s shoulder.

“Da! Daddy!”

“Be there in a minute! Margot, do _not_ come in here!”

They hear Joey’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Come on, Margot, they’re _doing it_!”

“Doing what?”

“You know…the naked thing.”

Mordred leans his head back on Cenred’s shoulder.

“Well, great. Oh, laugh it up, why don’t you?” He wiggles his arse. “Come on, hurry. We want to go to this farce of a council meeting, don’t we?”

Cenred slowly begins to thrust, taking his own sweet time and aiming for Mordred’s prostate on every up-stroke.

“Oh…oh….you _fucker!”_ Mordred moans loud and long as Cenred’s knot breaks and Mordred falls into convulsions of pleasure---, much like a doll being shaken at the end of a stick. In a frankly impressive bit of gymnastics, Cenred bends and grabs Mordred beneath the thighs without disengaging their bodies. Lifting Mordred’s legs, Cenred holds them up while he pistons in and out of Mordred, the coupling explicitly in view of anyone who turns their head while passing by the house. Mordred thinks about what they would see—his legs spread wide and Cenred’s long cock disappearing into Mordred’s stretched hole, Mordred’s spent-yet-still-hard cock smacking the glass. In fact, the smacking is what draws the attention of Gaius as he passes. The man’s bushy eyebrows lower almost to the bridge of his nose as he elbows Burt, whose mouth drops open at the sight.

With a yell, Mordred comes again, Cenred quickly following.

“You’ll pay for this.” Mordred pants and groans as Cenred sets him back on his feet and withdraws.

“Counting on it.” Cenred smacks Mordred’s bum. “Better get dressed. We have a council meeting to go to.”

****

“I’m nervous,” Will says.

“I can tell by the way you’re biting your fingernails to the quick.” Leon smacks Will’s hand away from his mouth. “Stop that.

“I can’t help it! Why aren’t you nervous?”

“Being nervous won’t help at all.” Leon finishes dressing. Their bed is rumpled from their earlier coupling, and Will still sprawls naked on the sheets, shoulders propped against the headboard.

“It will be all right,” Leon says, sitting next to Will and drawing him into his arms. He rubs his hands down Will’s smooth back and presses a kiss to his neck, sucking a little on the mating bite.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Leon chuckles. He leans down and licks a circle around the tip of Will’s fat cock. It twitches, and Leon moves lower to suck on first one and then the other testicle. Will’s fingers grab Leon’s hair as the persistent sucking brings him an intense release.

“There,” Leon says, sitting up and looking at Will’s spent balls dripping with Leon’s saliva. “Maybe that will relax you.”

Will smacks Leon with a pillow and smiles.

In the kitchen, Audrey makes eggs.

“Where did you get those, Aud?” Clyde asks, coming up behind her.

“I traded my bracelet for them before we left the Gibson pack. An old lady there has a chicken.”

“What would she want with your bracelet?” I’d rather have the eggs.” Clyde takes a big sniff. “They smell great.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure how to make them stretch for all of us.” Audrey looks through the cabinets. “Wonder if adding some of this mush from yesterday will do it. And to answer your question, I think she felt sorry for us with all the children.”

Sully appears, freshly showered. He kisses Audrey.

“Ugh. Stop,” Clyde says, turning away.

“Gods, Sully…are you going into heat?” Audrey asks, the smell of cupcake making her clitoris enlarge.

“I think so. Fuck, I really wanted to go to the council meeting.”

Audrey pushes the eggs and mush around in the pan a moment before the smell of Sully gets too much for her and she has to ask her brother to take over at the stove so she can drag her mate into the bedroom for a shag.

“Where’s Audrey?” Will asks when he and Leon appear.

“Where else? You’d think by now they wouldn’t shag so much.”

“That isn’t how it works, and you know it. As long as omegas have heats, an alpha will be rutting them.”

“Profound, Da.”

In the bedroom, Audrey lifts Sully’s legs onto her shoulders and spears him in one stroke.

“Ahh!” Sully arches his back, strawberry-blond hair fanning out from his face onto the blue pillow case.

Audrey stares into her mate’s gray eyes, pumping back and forth, until Sully breaks eye contact.

“You’re watching my titties bounce.” Audrey grins.

“Of course—they’re fine titties,” Sully says, reaching up to tweak a nipple. Audrey adjusts the angle of her thrusting, and Sully moans.

“Let’s remember who’s in charge,” she says just before the tip of her narrow dick bites into Sully’s prostate, and he lets out a string of curse words as cum coats his stomach.

“The mouth on you!” Audrey teases, leaning in to lick at Sully’s collarbone. His heat intensifies, and she growls. “Gonna fuck you silly,” she tells him, and he moans again. “Gonna fuck you until your teeth rattle. All day long, Sully, I’ll have my girly-dick in your pretty little hole, biting that love-bundle you’ve got in there and making you writhe and beg me for more.”

“Yes, hell yeah, do it…”Sully wiggles.

The friction against Audrey’s labial flaps makes her come, copious amounts of spunk spilling into Sully.

“Gonna fill you with pups, my gorgeous mate,” Audrey says, her words falling on pants. She thinks about how when Sully isn’t in heat, he’ll lick her until her flaps fill and, inch by torturous inch, her clit lengthens and throbs, ready to be sheathed in his tight, hot hole. She could live in that hole…forever and ever. Another orgasm wrenches out of her, and the room is filled with squelching noises.

When she pulls out, Sully flips her over and bites on a nipple with his front teeth as she squirms beneath him. She reaches around to his back and fingers the cum dripping from his hole, pushing some of it back in. He kisses her then, long and urgently, heat building like dozens of delicious cupcakes rising in an oven. It makes Audrey’s clit tingle and engorge. But Sully won’t let her up. He grins and pushes his short, fat cock into her vagina. It’s a tight squeeze, and she cries out. He holds her hands down, just like she likes it, and pumps vigorously.

“Whose in charge now?” he laughs, watching her mock-struggle until she gives up and wraps her legs around his waist.

 


	36. The Council Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A ground-breaking council meeting.  
> Warning: Character death.

Merlin can hear Arthur in the next room tucking the children in for their nap. He turns back to the small vase in front of him. Putting his hands out, his mind commands it to move.

Merlin holds his breath. The vase doesn’t move. It doesn’t even tremble.

“Fuck,” he whispers. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

He tries again.

“Merlin, are you ready?” Arthur stands at the door to their bedroom. Merlin nods and gets up walking to his mate’s side. Arthur wraps his arms around him.

“Arthur,” Merlin says into Arthur’s shoulder. “I can’t get my magic to work. I don’t think I even have magic. Or if I did, I don’t anymore.”

Arthur frames Merlin’s face with his hands.

“Don’t you think it’s just a matter of harnessing it? It’s not like you’ve been practicing long. Give yourself a break, Merlin.”

“I don’t have time for a break! _We_ don’t have time!” Merlin grips Arthur’s wrists. “That council out there may very well vote you down, because they aren’t going to let Ansel fight you—not when there’s a chance you’ll kill him, and they think we need him.”

“You won’t let that happen, Merlin. I believe in you, all right?”

Merlin nods, but he isn’t sure he believes in himself. What is he supposed to do to stop all this? He once thought that if he and Ansel touched and harnessed their magic together, the land could be healed. But Ansel won’t cooperate, and so far, each time they’ve touched Merlin has only seen doom.

Out by the lake, the council waits for them.

“Late,” Merlin hears Ansel scoff.

“Shut up!” Merlin stops in front of Ansel. “Just shut up.”

The council has become a mixture of elders from Pendragon pack and the old Freemont pack. They sit on various large rocks on the bank of the river. Others in the pack have gathered, too.

Gaius stands and addresses the crowd.

“The newcomer, Ansel, has called a council meeting to speak about our predicament.”

“No,” Merlin says, “he’s called it to bad-mouth Arthur, because for some reason Ansel thinks that he deserves to be pack leader.”

Ansel looks at Merlin, and Merlin stands straighter.

“I brought you here to help us, Ansel. Not to mate you, and not to make you pack leader.”

“We are intended mates, Merlin. Our parents did the ritual. You brought me back here to help you; now let me help!”

“Perhaps we would have mated had our pack not been decimated,” Merlin says. “But it was decimated.”

“By Uther Pendragon.”

“By Uther Pendragon,” Merlin concedes. “ _Not_ Arthur Pendragon.”

“Uther raped and pillaged and still expected his son to rule the pack when he died.”

“Of course he exected that,” Gwaine spoke up. “Leadership falls to the first born son of the pack leader. If that’s not possible, it falls to the Alpha’s second in command.”

The council murmurs among themselves.

“Since Arthur’s oldest son, Em, (as he came out first) is not able to rule yet, I am next in line after Arthur. Not you.”

“The point is,” Merlin says, “that we shouldn’t be standing here fighting about this. We should be figuring out what to do.”

“I know what to do,” Ansel says. “Arthur steps down or I throw him down. I kill his Second if must needs. Then I am made pack leader. You will be my mate, Merlin. When that happens, the tide will turn. The crops will begin to grow again, and all will be well. It will be a new era for the pack, and we will rule all the wolves. The Anunnaki will leave us alone.”

Merlin can see that many think this a sound statement, and his heart sinks.

An old woman named Myra speaks up.

“The only way to know is for the two wolves to fight it out. Father Wolf will bring victory to the one who is meant to rule the pack.”

There are nods all around. Gaius and Burt remain quiet, obviously troubled.

“What say you, Arthur?” Another council member shouts out.

Up until then, Arthur has been standing with his arms crossed over his chest, head down, and lips pursed. At the posed question, he looks up.

“I will let my mate speak for us.”

More murmuring. Panic rises inside Merlin.

“I am perfectly fine with fighting Arthur for the title of pack Alpha,” Ansel says. “Arthur?”

Arthur doesn’t say anything. His eyes move to Merlin.

“Are you afraid to fight me?” Ansel yells. "Do you pass the decision onto this omega because you are too weak to decide yourself?"

Arthur still doesn’t say anything. Merlin shakes like a teakettle ready to boil, both with fear and with anger.

He won’t allow them to fight. Merlin couldn’t live if Arthur died, and if Ansel is killed, they may lose their only chance to save the pack.

“It seems a fight to the death is in order,” Titus says.

Ansel lifts his lip and snarls.

“Get ready, Merlin. A real Alpha will soon own you. When I kill this poor excuse for an Alpha, you and I will mate right here in front of the council. I’ll knot you and our magic will combine. The pack will be saved!”

“Oh, go suck yourself, you bastard! You act like your bloody seed is magical.” Will throws a rotten tomato he must have had secreted for just such a moment at Ansel, and it hits him upside the head. There’s a flurry of laughter.

Ansel growls and looks at Arthur, who hasn’t moved a muscle, but continues to watch the proceedings with an air of indifference that enrages Ansel. Ansel steps forward and Merlin sees that he is preparing to shift and attack. Merlin holds out his right hand, palm facing Ansel’s chest

“No! There will be no fighting!”

Ansel’s eyes flash yellow, and Merlin feels a wave of magic, strong and fast, roll his way. As soon as it hit’s Merlin’s palm, Merlin trembles in reaction, magic stirring, hot and thick in his veins. He thinks, _NOW_ \--and a boiling surge of lava-like power flows up from his toes, through his body, and out his hand. It mingles with Ansel’s magic and flies outward, knocking Ansel to the ground.

Merlin stands, transfixed, amazed at what he’s done.

“My magic,” he says in a small voice.

“Good show, Merlin. Go on…let’s see what else you can do.” Arthur smiles.

Ansel gets to his feet, face red and eyes angry. Merlin can feel his own eyes glowing as he throws his hand out and lifts Ansel off the ground, tossing him onto his back. Merlin thrusts out his other palm, bends his head, and shouts, “This pack is ours—mine and Arthur’s—and no one will take it from us! It belongs to our children and our children’s children, and you Ansel, or the Anunnaki, or anyone else will not take it from us!”

The earth begins to shake, rocks falling from the cliff beyond to drop into the lake with tremendous splashes. “We will live and we will thrive!” Merlin yells in a voice ten times louder than his own. The ground shakes harder, and people begin to topple over, screaming.

“This is our land, and it will thrive! This is our pack, and we will triumph! It has been ordained by Father Wolf, and so it shall be!”

The sun suddenly blackens in the sky and thunder rolls. Cracks appear in the earth, and Arthur steps over to stand beside Merlin, wrapping an arm around him. Everyone else is knocked to his knees by the force field surrounding Merlin.

“What the fuck?” Will clings to Leon.

Ansel climbs to his knees and tries to send magic outward, but fails. He looks about frantically.

“You are nothing, Ansel,” Merlin says, more quietly now, eyes glowing white. “Nothing but a match to light my blaze.”

Ansel swallows, rocking from side to side as the earth seems to wobble on its axis. A crack appears in the ground beside his leg.

“Mercy!” Ansel suddenly cries out. “Mercy, oh please, Vixen!”

Merlin keeps his hands out, palms directed at Ansel. A jet of yellow fire flies from both palms, hitting Ansel and rolling him over onto his stomach. The crack widens into a crevice, the crevice into a divide. Ansel topples inward, barely catching the ledge with his hands.

“Help! Help! You can’t do this to me! You need me! You need---“

He falls into the hole and it consumes him, mending over so that there is no sign it had ever been there in the first place.

Slowly, Merlin lowers his hands and the tremors subside.

“He’s with the Anunnaki now,” Merlin says, eyes returning to their normal shade of blue. He turns to Arthur, and Arthur kisses him.

“I knew you could do it, Merlin.”

The sky opens up and it begins to pour a healing rain.

 


	37. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ART call: As this wraps up, I would just love some art for it. Anything any of you want to do. Drawings, photos, whatever!

Gwaine doesn’t have time to enjoy the fact that wonderful rain is falling and the world seems to be turning green in miraculous time, or that that nuisance Ansel has been consumed by the earth never to be seen again. He’s Second, and his Alpha has fallen to his knees, and the Vixen is so exhausted by his display of magic, he’s in tears and shaking like a sapling in a storm.

Both Will and Mordred rush to Merlin’s side, the magical barrier of before having disappeared. Will takes Merlin in his arms, and Merlin sobs while gesturing weakly at Arthur, who is obviously suffering. Mordred rubs Arthur’s back and murmurs soothing words.

“It’s okay, Merlin,” Gwaine says, motioning for Percy to help lift the Alpha to his feet. “Arthur’s been holding back, and it’s made him a bit sick. All will be well.”

“It was necessary,” Gaius raises his voice over the torrential rain. The pack stands stunned, not even trying to get out of the welcome deluge. “Arthur knew if he didn’t hold back and let Merlin do this, all would be lost.”

“How do you know that?” A voice cries from the crowd. Gaius looks around, and Mithian steps forward, elbowing her way past Earc and Gilly. Gilly rubs his ribs and frowns at her. “He should have defended us all! He’s our Alpha! How do you know Merlin didn’t just get rid of the best choice?”

Gaius strides over to Mithian and grabs her shoulder with one hand and her hair by the other. He jerks her head upward so that the rain drives into her face, causing her to squint and sputter.

“Do you not see the healing rain, woman? As we speak, the crops are coming alive! Both Arthur and Merlin did this, following the words of the prophecy. If you think you can do better, than perhaps you should leave this pack!” He lets go of her with a jerk, and she almost topples to the ground. Earc doesn’t even try to steady her.

Gwaine and Percy help Arthur to his feet and begin walking him to his house. In the background, behind the pouring rain and the chatter of the excited pack, Gwaine hears Chad’s wails of grief.

****

It is dark and quiet in the omega den. Merlin’s wakes, rejuvenated, to find Lance asleep beside him, one arm wrapped around Merlin’s waist. Their heads are pressed together.

When Lance opens his eyes, Merlin smiles.

“No dreams,” he says.

“No dreams.” Lance smiles back.

Merlin sits and stretches.

“How do you feel?”

“Much, much better. How long did I sleep?”

“At least a day,” Lance says. “I’ve been asleep for a while, too. I came to relieve Will, who had to throw up. I think he’s with pups.”

“A day?” Merlin freezes.

“But Arthur…” He jumps up.

“Gaius has kept an eye on him. He seems fine. He’s sleeping, too. Evidently, it takes a lot out of an alpha to restrain his urges like that.”

“Poor Arthur.” Merlin remembers how he stood there, seemingly composed and even relaxed. How he’d done it or what it had taken to do it, Merlin will never know. His alpha was strong enough to be weak, and the knowledge of it sent a powerful surge of love-lust straight through Merlin’s very being.

He heads for the stairs, and when he reaches the doorway and opens it, he’s met by the rain. Beneath the fresh smell of life-giving water is the tantalizing odor of roasting meat.

“It’s still raining,” he says, and Lance comes up behind him.

“It hasn’t stopped. Look at the fields.”

Merlin turns his eyes to the left and the expanse beyond. Amazingly, sprouts of green have pushed through the formerly orange soil, which is now a rich black. Merlin’s looks across the yard to his house and starts forward.

Collum meets him at the door.

“Vixen, are you well?”

“I’m good, Collum, thanks.” Merlin nods. “Is Arthur in our bedroom?”

“Yes, asleep, but doing well, Gaius says.”

“The pups?”

“Sigmund took them to eat.Hours ago, a group of deer came charging into the ranch and ran straight into the cliffside, one by one. It was a strange sight. They all died instantly, and Cenred, Percy, Donald, and Daegal have been cooking them under the outcropping by the lake.”

“Thank Father Wolf,” Merlin sighs. It is wonderful to know his pups are being fed something substantial. He climbs the stairs and stops in the bedroom doorway. Arthur lies on their bed, looking relaxed in sleep rather than paralyzed and comatose as he had under Ansel’s spell. His wet clothes have been stripped off and the covers drawn to his waist. His chest rises and falls evenly.

Merlin crosses the room and stretches down beside him, heart full. Slowly, he begins pressing kisses to Arthur’s face—temple, nose, cheek, chin, lips. He picks up Arthur’s hand and kisses each of his fingers and then his palm, then moves to Arthur’s wrist and inner elbow.

“You’re so strong, Arthur. So strong. The luckiest day of my life was the day you found me in the city and followed me home.” Merlin kisses Arthur’s shoulder and collarbone before pressing his lips to Arthur’s mating bite. “You even let me bite you, showing that you wanted this to be an equal partnership.” Merlin kisses Arthur’s jaw, ear. “And now you’ve shown it again.” He looks down at Arthur’s face before kissing each closed eye in turn. “I love you. You’ll never know how much.”

There’s a knock at the door, and Merlin turns.

“Gwaine. Is everything all right?”

“Seems to be.” Gwaine’s grin is wide. “The rains is tapering off a bit. When we left you in the omega den, it was absolutely pouring.” He brings a chair up to the bed and sits. “How is he?”

Merlin looks down at Arthur.

“He seems to be comfortably sleeping.”

As if to prove Merlin right, Arthur mumbles something in his sleep about chicken. Merlin laughs and squeezes Arthur’s hand.

“Chad’s a bit torn up,” Gwaine says.

Merlin’s smile fades.

“I need to talk to him.”

“Wait a while. He knows what his brother was trying to do, but give him time to grieve.” Gwaine tilts his head and surveys Merlin. “That was really quite spectacular, what you did.”

Merlin blushes.

“No, really, Merlin. If I hadn’t seen it myself, I’m not sure I would have believed it.”

“I felt Ansel’s magic hit me, and then it all just came out—as though released. I didn’t even have power over my own tongue after that. I just…said things.”

“Amazing things.” Gwaine reaches over and pats Merlin’s knee. “I can see why Arthur was taken with you from the very beginning. Beyond the bond.”

A grunt from Arthur, and Merlin and Gwaine turn to look at him. Dark blue eyes are open and staring at them.

“Hands off my mate, you sod,” Arthur says. Merlin can see the hairs rising on Arthur’s arm.

Gwaine immediately withdraws his hand.

“Good to see you awake, Alpha.”

“Good to be awake.” Arthur stirs, testing out his limbs. Finding his hand clasped in Merlin’s he brings it to his lips. “You all right?”

Merlin nods and smiles. Arthur sniffs the air.

“What is that wonderful smell? Second to the scent of my mate, of course.”

“You sweet-talker, you.” Merlin chuckles.

“That would be venison.” Gwaine stands. “It’s time for you to face your people, Arthur. And to have a full meal.”

 


	38. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My computer's been in the shop, or I would have had this out sooner.  
> It's been a lovely ride, but it's time to close the story. Thanks so much to all of you who have read and commented so sweetly. I never thought my wolf!verse would be this popular! (((hugs))) <3  
> I have worried about not tying up a loose end, but I can't think of anything. When Ansel sank and the healing rains came, all the terrible prophecy dreams Lance and Merlin were having stopped and became null. All is right in their world!

“Gods, Merlin, are you sure?”

“I’m positive.” Merlin directs Percy and Simon to set the boxes in the corner.

“But…what will Leon and I do with this big house?”

“For fuck’s sake, Will! You two have a ga-jillion pups! What are you talking about?”

Since Mithian left the pack, Merlin sees it fit that Will and Leon should have the big house that once belonged to Pete and Mitzi. Will probably only has one pup this time, as his belly is very small, but still, that makes fifteen, if you include Audrey and Clyde. And if you include them, you might as well include Sully and their pups when they have them. (Sully just found out he is with pups.)

“You deserve this, Will,” Leon says, coming up behind his mate and hugging him close. “A great, big house.”

“Bigger than mine and Arthur’s.” Merlin grins.

“You’re going to beat me on pups this time, though,” Will says.

Merlin has to agree. He’s absolutely huge and only getting bigger. And the berries he loves aren’t in season, so he has nothing to eat when he gets those cravings.

“That’s the last box,” Percy says, smacking his hands together.

“Now for the unpacking,” Will says.

“Um, Donald wants me home.” Percy edges out the door.

“I think I hear Lance calling.” Simon follows.

“It’s so hard to find good help these days,” Will says.

Merlin stays for a while, doing some light work, until Arthur comes and insists he return home with him.

“Seriously, Merlin, you should be lying down. You look as if you’ll burst at any moment.”

“Har, har. Will is due before I am.”

“But you have so many. Besides, I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Merlin’s eyes light up. “What is it?”

“You have to come home to find out.”

It takes them a while, as Merlin can’t walk very fast, but they finally make it back to their house.

“Daddy! Da!” The children immediately surround them. Jib, who has come to live with Arthur and Merlin, holds a twin on each hip.

“What’s in the box?” Em dances on his toes.

“It’s a surprise for your da; now stand back and give him room to open it,” Arthur says. 

“Maybe it’s a helicopter!” Arthur Jr. says.

“No, a space ship!” Igraine claps her hands.

“Why would Da need a space ship or a helicopter?” Ella asks. “That’s just silly.”

“Well, what do you think it is, smartie?” Em asks.

“I don’t know, but it isn’t either of those stupid guesses.”

Merlin has to get a knife out of the kitchen to slice the box open, and when he does, he gasps.

“Arthur! My berries!”

“I had them shipped.” Arthur looks extremely pleased with himself.

“Oh, you are getting so lucky tonight,” Merlin says in Arthur’s ear.

A knock on the door brings everyone’s head around.

“I’ll get it.” Collum crosses the room to the door.

Chad, Jude, and someone Merlin’s never seen before stand on the front stoop.

“Come in!” Arthur calls to them.

“This is an old friend of mine,” Jude says. “Parker. He’s come all the way from Texas. Remember, Arthur, I told you he wanted to join the pack?”

There are introductions all around. Parker is tall, blond, and well-built, and when Parker says he wants to be trained by Arthur to be one of his guards, Merlin’s eyes narrow.

“I’m sure Arthur won’t have time to train you, but maybe Gwaine can,” Merlin says smoothly, earning him an odd look from Arthur.

When Arthur goes to sit near Parker, Merlin makes a grab for his hand and pulls him down next to him.

“I’ll be too busy?” Arthur asks as soon as they’re alone in their bedroom. “And can I have my hand back now?” Merlin lets go of Arthur’s hand.

“If you think for a minute that I’m going to let that handsome wolf spend hours watching you fight and sweat, you have another think coming,” Merlin says.

“Merlin…”

“Don’t argue with me, Arthur.”

Arthur just shakes his head.

“You should know by now that I don’t want anyone else but you.” Arthur leans in and kisses Merlin tenderly on the mouth.

“Oh, fuck.”

“That’s a strange reaction to my kiss.” Arthur kisses Merlin again.

“Shit! It’s…no, not yet!”

“What?” Arthur stands up from where he’s been sitting on the bed.

“The pups! They’re coming!”

Arthur stares at Merlin’s huge belly like it’s alive.

“I’ll get Gaius.”

“Don’t you dare leave me!”

“But, Merlin, we need Gaius…” Arthur has one hand on the doorknob.

Merlin sits on the bed, holding his tremendous belly, and starts to sniffle pitifully.

“Sigmund!” Arthur yells out the door. When Sigmund comes running, Arthur tells him to go get Gaius.

“You’d better shift, Merlin.”

“OW! I need some berries,” Merlin whimpers.

“Merlin, you’re in labor…”

“BERRIES!”

Arthur goes to the kitchen for the berries.  He brings milk and a spoon, too.

“Oh, this is good,” Merlin says, propped at the head of the bed with a full mouth, tears already dried. “Really good.”

Gaius arrives with his bag, eyebrow twitching.

“So, I hear it’s time, Merlin?”

Merlin nods and licks his fingers which are now tinged a bluish red. He gets a pain and grabs Arthur’s hand, crushing it in his.

“Ouch, Merlin, I need that hand…”

“Shift, Merlin,” Gaius says. Merlin shifts, and immediately starts dropping puppies like he’s one of those machines in the city being fed quarters.

“Five…six….seven…” Gaius counts. Arthur looks like he’s going to faint, but he shifts into wolf form and helps Merlin to lick the puppies clean.

“Eight…nine…ten. An exceptionally large litter, Merlin.”

Knowing Merlin would want them, Collum has fetched Will and Mordred. He brings them into the bedroom.

“Show off,” Will says. “That makes eighteen.”

Merlin is nursing and still in wolf form, but Arthur shifts back, looking proud.

“I really have very good sperm,” he tells Leon. He eyes Will’s very small bump. “Looks like you barely squeezed out a decent one there.”

Leon rolls his eyes.

“But what would you expect from the pack Alpha?” Arthur asks, puffing his chest out a bit.

The pups are all combinations of black and white and pushing at each other to get to the available teats.

“What in the world are we going to name all of these?” Arthur suddenly asks.

“Word of advice,” Leon says. “Don’t let one of your children name them.”

“I hear that Lance is preggers.” Will sits next to Merlin on the bed.

“And also me!” Mordred smiles. “I just found out today.”

Merlin changes back as the last pup drops off to sleep, milk running down its chin.

“I think it’s safe to say that the Pendragon pack is strong and growing.”

Arthur lies down behind Merlin, tucking his chin on Merlin’s shoulder to survey their new pups.

“Just think how virile I must be to have sired all these,” he says, and Merlin elbows him in the ribs.

Cenred shows up at the door, sleepy-eyed.

“I woke up and you were gone.” He takes Mordred’s hand and entwines their fingers.

“I didn’t want to wake you.” Mordred kisses Cenred’s jaw. “Come on—let’s go home. The show’s over. Merlin’s had ten pups and proven us all inferior.”

Will has dropped into a doze, and Leon slides his arms under his back and legs and picks him up.

“We’ll be on our way,” he says. “Congratulations Alpha, Vixen.”

When they’re alone again except for the new pups, Merlin turns to Arthur, love in his eyes.

“I’m so glad we don’t have to worry about aliens with different colored eyes, visions of destruction and death, or famine.”

“That’s right.” Arthur kisses the tip of Merlin’s nose. “It’s only nappies and oatmeal splattered on the walls from here on out.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?” Merlin snuggles into Arthur’s arms.

“No,” Arthur agrees. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

 

THE END.

 

 


End file.
